The Bay Area was jolted Saturday morning as a 3.4-magnitude earthquake centered near UC Berkeley's Garber Park struck, sending tremors through the East Bay and San Francisco. As reported by SFist, the quake hit at 11:12 AM and was felt in San Francisco, though it caused no reported damage. The US Geological Survey recorded the quake's depth at 9.4 km, confirming the temblor's impact on the region.
Residents took to social media to share their experiences, with accounts of the ground shaking noted on Twitter while over 3,400 individuals reported feeling the quake on the USGS's website; this rumble comes following a similarly sized earthquake that occurred on February 2, which originated from the San Andreas Fault according to SFist. "A sharp, quick jolt on Potrero Hill," Julie Navajas described the sensation to CBS News Bay Area's Facebook page, with other reports emerging from as far out as Vallejo and Petaluma.
In response to the quake, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) protocol necessitated a temporary halt of train services for track inspections, leading to up to 10-minute delays. However, regular service resumed shortly after with no lingering disruptions. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) also conducted precautionary checks, as detailed by CBS News San Francisco. The checks brought brief delays but confirmed the safety of transport infrastructures following the seismic event.
While the Bay Area is no stranger to seismic activities, Saturday's quake serves as a reminder of the ever-present threat of larger, potentially more destructive earthquakes inherent to living along the Pacific Ring of Fire, as the Hayward Fault—a notorious source of concern for geologists and public safety officials—proved its restlessness with today's mild yet noticeable quake, as reported by both SFist and CBS News San Francisco.