Update, 5:36pm: The Berkeley Police Department reports receiving a “minimal” number of calls regarding ringing alarms from both community members and from various security/alarm companies’ monitoring services. There are no reports of damage or injury to this minute. BPD also did a roll call directly following the quake to check the status of each of its Officers in the field/patrol and Parking Enforcement Officers and all were OK.
Update, 5:05pm: There have been two small aftershocks since the 2:41pm quake. The latest, according to USGS, is a 2.2 at 4:50pm which was 2 miles ESE of Berkeley. There was also a magnitude 1.8 at 3:09pm 2 miles ESE of Berkeley.
Update, 4:59pm: Comments still coming in from readers. At 3:13pm, Bright Shadow, wrote: “I’m in Rockridge and what was scary and strange about this particular quake was that I could hear what sounded like glass and plates shattering for 2 whole seconds before the shake happened. My mother 4 blocks away heard the same thing and believed it came from underground? I wonder if theres some great crystal cavern under our houses.”
Update: 4:40pm: “Shocking” before and after photograph of earthquake damage in Berkeley, courtesy of @EzekielSF on Twitter.
Update, 4:24pm: USGS now reporting the quake was a 4.0. Of course those Berkeleyans who felt it knew it was in the 4s not the 3s, right? Depth also changed: now reported as 9.8, not 8.4 kilometers as previously stated.
Update, 3:21pm: One reader described the quake as “jolt, jitter and a roll”. Does that correspond to what you felt?
Update, 3.16pm: People from as far as Palo Alto and Concord report feeling the quake. Many expressing surprise that it was not a bigger magnitude. Early guesses were coming in over 4.0 which was also close to the original USGS estimate of 4.2.
Update, 3:09pm: The inevitable arrival of the choppers: helicopters are flying over Berkeley. What do they expect to see?
Update, 3.07pm: BART reporting 15-min delays for track inspections following quake.
Update, 3:10pm: Ironic coincidence: The quake struck on the same day that there was a statewide earthquake drill — this morning at 10:20pm.
Update, 3:04pm: Berkeleysiders are leaving comments and using Twitter to update us on their experience of the quake. So far, nobody seems to have suffered any injuries, although many people were shaken by the strength of the jolts which seemed to last a few seconds. Berkeleyside asked via Twitter if any Berkeleyans suffered any damage, and David Weitz replied: “Damage to my productivity because everyone wants to chat about it – does that count?”
Update, 2:54pm: #Berkeley Twitter stream is moving too fast to read. So far no reports of damage.
Update, 2:50pm: Latest data shows the magnitude to be 3.9 and reports it as being 1 mile ESE of Berkeley.
Update, 2:46pm: The USGS reported a 4.2 magnitude quake with its epicenter at the Clark Kerr campus — according to the data on the I Felt That app.
2.42pm: A quake that was bound to be felt by all in Berkeley struck at 2:41pm today, 2 miles ESE of the city. The quake had a depth of 8.4 kilometers, according to the USGS. At the time of writing USGS had not reported on its magnitude.
We will provide updates.
