4.3M quake strikes near Soledad, with minor reverberations felt in Santa Cruz County

Some Santa Cruzans felt some minor shaking from a magnitude 4.3 earthquake on Saturday morning that struck about eight miles from Soledad, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The earthquake struck at a depth of about 5 miles at 6:42 a.m. near Pinnacles National Park, the USGS reported. It could be felt up and down the Central Coast, according to a ShakeMap that the agency released on its website.

As Saturday morning was unfolding, the USGS reported four other small quakes in the same area, ranging from between 2.5 and 3.2 magnitude.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning Center said there was no danger of a tsunami from these quakes, and earthquakes of these magnitudes typically do not result in much damage.

An average of 25 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4.0 and 5.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.

Coast Life

Run of big swell kicks off new year; big rain expected to drench area next week

Coast Life

Run of big swell kicks off new year; big rain expected to drench area next week

By Lookout Santa Cruz Staff

Quick Take

This weekend’s precipitation is expected to be light, but the risk of flooding and debris flow increases Tuesday into...

If you felt any of the quakes, you can report them to the USGS here. To learn what to do before, and during, an earthquake near you, read the LA Times’ five-step earthquake preparedness guide.

Watsonville police were tweeting about the series of quakes Saturday morning, telling the public they were minor but provided a good opportunity to be mindful about quake safety.

Social media confirmed that the quake was felt by many locally.

The Los Angeles Times Quakebot contributed to this story.