Small earthquake shakes Redding Friday morning; epicenter reported west of downtown
A minor earthquake briefly shook the Redding area early Friday morning, awakening some Shasta County residents at least as far as Anderson and Palo Cedro.
The temblor, which made an audible rumble, happened at 3:57 a.m. according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It lasted several seconds, starting with a mild shake, then growing in strength and stopping.
The earthquake was centered west of downtown Redding, north of Eureka Way. A 6 a.m. update from the geological survey placed the epicenter more than 12.5 miles (20.4 kilometers) underground, at a spot beneath and between Buenaventura Boulevard to the west and Quartz Hill Road to the east, according to the USGS' earthquake map.
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While there were no initial reports of damage, the rumbling sound the temblor made was loud enough to startle some people, who posted online the temblor sounded like an explosion.
The earthquake measured 3.6 on the Richter Scale, downgraded from a 3.7 in the geological survey's initial report.
It was what seismologists consider a light to moderate earthquake. That magnitude is strong enough for people to feel it, but not usually enough to cause any damage.
Residents reported feeling the ground shake to the south in Anderson, and east of Redding in Palo Cedro.
"It was definitely a jolt rather than a roller," George Parker of Anderson told the Record Searchlight on Facebook, but "nothing moved on shelves or fell over."
More than 900 people reported feeling the earthquake and their location as of 8:15 a.m. Friday, said Paul Caruso, a geophysicist with the USGS Earthquake Center.
Here's a list of earthquake magnitudes and their effects, according to Michigan Technological University:
Below 2.5: Generally not felt
2.5 to 5.4: Minor or no damage
5.5 to 6.0: Slight damage to buildings
6.1 to 6.9: Serious damage
7.0 to 7.9: Major earthquake. Serious damage.
8.0 or greater: Massive damage, can destroy communities
(This story was updated with new information.)
Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Small earthquake centered near Eureka Way shook Redding Friday morning
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