Tremors felt throughout Santa Cruz County and beyond after 4.2M quake strikes near Aromas

Several seconds of tremors were felt throughout Santa Cruz County — and nearly the entire Bay Area — after a 4.2 magnitude earthquake struck near Aromas Saturday evening, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake struck shortly after 8 p.m. at a depth of about 4.9 miles, just 2.5 miles southeast of Aromas and about 22 miles from Santa Cruz. Initial reports placed it at a 4.5 magnitude, but the USGS revised that to 4.2M.

Residents from Aromas to Aptos to Scotts Valley reported feeling anywhere between three and 10 seconds of tremors, depending on their distance from the epicenter. One Watsonville resident on Facebook said that “it felt like the floor dropped with a big boom.”

This is the second noteworthy earthquake in Santa Cruz County in 2021. A 4.3M quake was felt in parts of the county on Jan. 2; the epicenter was just outside Pinnacles National Park. A 4.0M earthquake struck in Aromas about four years ago.

For information on how to stay safe during an earthquake whether you’re inside, outside, or in a car when it happens, see this information from the CDC.