A magnitude 4.0 earthquake rattled the San Francisco Bay Area early Monday, breaking plates and cracking plaster, and subsided without any reports of injuries or major damage.
The quake struck at 6:49 a.m. and was centered just north of Piedmont, near Berekeley, the U.S. Geological Survey said, reported 7News. The quake struck on the Hayward Fault at a depth of about 3.4 miles and was felt in downtown San Francisco, along the peninsula and in the East Bay, according to the Associated Press.
"This was a fairly small one but we should be prepared for them at all times," USGS spokeswoman Leslie Gordon said.
The tremors produced a sharp jolt followed by gentle rolls. People on social media reported broken clocks and plates, and even joked saying the quake worked like an alarm clock.
Well that woke me up #earthquake
— Tom Crabtree (@tomcrabtree) August 17, 2015
#Earthquake! Quite a way for Mother Nature to awaken us on the first day of school. Stay safe #SF. — sfpelosi (@sfpelosi) August 17, 2015
Just a little shaker to kick off your day… #earthquake #SF
— Hilldawgg (@Hilldawgg) August 17, 2015
Bay Area Rapid Transit held commuter trains for about five minutes, and there were minor delays as crews checked the tracks, reported Fox News. No damage was reported.
The earthquake came just one week before the one-year anniversary of the magnitude 6.0 earthquake that rocked California, causing millions of dollars in damage and injuring hundreds of people in Napa Valley.
