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Earthquake shakes northern SLO County. Did you feel it?

An earthquake shook northern San Luis Obispo County around midday Thursday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s earthquake map.

The earthquake struck west of Parkfield in southern Monterey County at 12:17 p.m., according to the USGS. Parkfield lies along the San Andreas fault and is dubbed the “Earthquake Capital of the World.”

The USGS initially reported one magnitude 4.9 temblor, but then said that two quakes, of magnitude 4.3 and 4.4, respectively, had struck the area.

By 12:40 p.m., the agency reported there had been just one quake, measuring magnitude 4.3.

The epicenter of that earthquake was located about 3.7 miles northwest of Parkfield, according to the USGS.

People may have felt shaking from the quakes as far south as Lompoc, as far north as Salinas and as far east as Fresno, according to the USGS shake map.

The bridge leading into Parkfield spans the San Andreas Fault and connects the Pacific and North American plates. A view from above shows how the guardrails are gently bent toward the north on the western side. Engineers designed the bridge with an expansion joint in the center to accommodate the fault’s movement.
The bridge leading into Parkfield spans the San Andreas Fault and connects the Pacific and North American plates. A view from above shows how the guardrails are gently bent toward the north on the western side. Engineers designed the bridge with an expansion joint in the center to accommodate the fault’s movement. David Middlecamp dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com

This story was originally published August 10, 2023 at 12:55 PM.

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Mackenzie Shuman
The Tribune
805-781-7844
Mackenzie Shuman primarily writes about SLO County education and the environment for The Tribune. She’s originally from Monument, Colorado, and graduated from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in May 2020. When not writing, Mackenzie spends time outside hiking and rock climbing.
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