A magnitude 4.3 earthquake centered north of Morgan Hill shook
the South Santa Clara Valley Monday morning.
A magnitude 4.3 earthquake centered north of Morgan Hill shook the South Santa Clara Valley Monday morning.
No damages or injuries were reported by area law enforcement agencies. A dispatch employee at the Morgan Hill Police Department said the quake felt like “a sudden jolt.”
The temblor was centered about four miles underground and 11 miles north of Morgan Hill, according to information on the U.S. Geological Survey Web site. It occurred about 10:40 a.m.
Carrie Reinsimar of the California Geological Survey said the earthquake was centered east of the Calaveras fault, which runs northwest to southeast, on the eastern side of Morgan Hill, but it was not directly on the fault.
She added that typically, earthquakes similar in magnitude to Monday’s do not result in surface ruptures or other serious after-effects.
“Usually everybody feels it, but it’s not one that causes damage,” Reinsimar said.
Employees at local retail stores felt the ground shake, but did not report any damages.
At press time, City of Morgan Hill Public Works Director Jim Ashcraft said his office didn’t hear of any infrastructure damages, and Santa Clara Valley Water District Spokeswoman Susan Siravo said there were no reported damages to any district facilities resulting from the earthquake.
Siravo added that staff will likely check the district’s 10 reservoirs and dams to confirm whether or not damages occurred.
The last major earthquake in Morgan Hill was a 6.2 temblor April 24, 1984. That quake caused minor structural damage to homes and businesses throughout town, and knocked several houses off their foundations. No deaths or serious injuries were reported.
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