Millions in the Bay Area of California were jostled awake by an early Thursday earthquake that was preliminarily tied for the strongest anywhere in the United States in 2026.
At 1:41 a.m. local time (4:41 a.m. EDT), a magnitude 4.9 earthquake wasreported by the U.S. Geological Surveyjust outside of Boulder Creek, California, about 60 miles south of San Francisco. The tremor was shallow, reportedly less than 7 miles below the surface.
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The USGS said the risk of major damage or deaths was low, and so far, neither has been reported. The shaking was felt widely, with many users picking up their phones and sharing their overnight experience on social media:
The USGS estimates a 60% chance of a magnitude 3 or higher aftershock in the next week, but only a 2% chance of a tremor stronger than 4.9 in that same time frame.
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