4.3 magnitude earthquake shakes San Francisco Bay area

A 4.3 magnitude earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay area early Monday morning, jolting many nearby residents awake, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

The earthquake struck at 2:56 a.m. PDT, and was centered approximately 1.2 miles east-southeast of Berkeley, Calif. Shaking was also recorded some 4.4 miles away in Oakland, 11.2 miles away in San Francisco and 16.2 miles away in Vallejo, USGS said.

The quake was initially recorded with a 4.6 magnitude, but it was later revised down.

Magnitude 4 earthquakes are felt by many people in the vicinity and often cause a “sensation like heavy body striking building.” They also can cause dishes and windows to rattle and walls to creak, according to the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) Scale.

A magnitude 5 earthquake is felt by nearly all people and “frightens a few.” It causes pictures to swing out of place, small objects to move and sometimes fall from shelves. There are few instances of cracked plaster and windows in communities.

Nearby residents said the overnight event was the strongest quake they’ve felt for a long time, Newsweek reported.

“Our calls are coming in from San Francisco and the East Bay and all over,” KTVU-TV anchor Dave Clark said in a video from the newsroom, The Associated Press reported. “Things were shaking in our newsroom. ... It caught everyone off guard.”