3.4-magnitude earthquake shakes north of Pinnacles National Park, geologists say
A 3.4-magnitude earthquake shook just north of Pinnacles National Park in California in the early morning hours on Tuesday, Dec. 13, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.
The quake, nearly 6 miles deep, hit just over 6 miles northwest of Pinnacles at 4:31 a.m., according to the USGS.
More than a dozen people from as far away as Soledad and Hollister reported feeling the shake, according to the agency.
Pinnacles National Park houses three large faults, “Miner’s Gulch, Pinnacles, and Chalone Creek,” as well as additional smaller faults and fractures, according to the National Park Service.
“Small to moderate earthquakes are frequently felt within the park,” according to NPS.
Magnitude measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey says. It replaces the old Richter scale.
Quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 magnitude are often felt but rarely cause much damage, according to Michigan Tech. Quakes below 2.5 magnitude are seldom felt by most people.
This story was originally published December 13, 2022 at 11:08 AM with the headline "3.4-magnitude earthquake shakes north of Pinnacles National Park, geologists say."
