4.3-magnitude earthquake shakes northern SLO County
A 4.3-magnitude earthquake struck about 10 miles north of Shandon on Tuesday morning.
The seismic event occurred at 10:29 a.m., according to the United States Geological Survey, and was located about 6 miles north-northwest of Cholame, just over the county line in southern Monterey County.
The San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services retweeted U.S. Geological Survey data that showed the earthquake struck along Cholame Valley Road about halfway between the Cholame “Y” and Parkfield, roughly 30 miles from Paso Robles.
No property damage or injuries have been reported.
Kristina Benson, principal of Shandon High School, said that staff and students at the district’s elementary and middle schools felt the quake, which was described to Benson as “loud” and “shaking.”
Benson said the rumbling was felt more in the district’s portable buildings than in its permanent structures.
An employee at Tobin James Cellars on Union Road in Paso Robles also said that there was no property damage, but “computer screens flickered a little,” and chandeliers hanging in a second story were swinging mildly.
Public reports on the USGS website indicate the earthquake was felt as far away as San Francisco and Los Angeles, with more than 550 people registering their experience by midday. The majority, nearly 200, came from Paso Robles.
This story was originally published December 17, 2019 at 11:00 AM.
