Magnitude 3.9 Earthquake Strikes Near San Juan Bautista, Shaking Felt In San Jose

HOLLISTER (CBS SF) -- A magnitude 3.9 earthquake struck near San Juan Bautista in San Benito County Friday evening, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's automated seismograph alert network.

The USGS reports the quake struck at 6:16 p.m. with the epicenter about 3 miles south southeast of the town, 7 miles west southwest of Hollister and 11 miles northeast of Salinas, at a depth of 4 miles.

Visitors to the USGS website from San Jose, Morgan Hill and Gilroy in the South Bay reported feeling the earthquake. The quake was also felt in Salinas, Monterey and Santa Cruz.

Deeper quakes are less noticeable while a shallow quake--in the 0 to 40 mile depth range--can feel much stronger than their actual reported magnitude. Quakes just below the earth's surface, in the 0 to 10 miles range, can cause even more damage at lower magnitudes.

COMPLETE QUAKE COVERAGE: CBS Earthquake Resource Center

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DID YOU FEEL IT?: USGS Shake Map For Northern California
LIVE QUAKE MAP: Track Real-Time Hot Spots
BAY AREA FAULTS: Interactive Map Of Local Faults

Strong earthquakes with an epicenter off the coast can trigger tsunamis, depending on the size and type of the fault movement. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center tracks earthquake data for the West Coast.
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