Earthquake Swarm Rattles North Bay

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — At least six earthquakes struck Wednesday evening near The Geysers, shaking North Bay. The largest quake was a magnitude 4.2 recorded at 7:58 p.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. That one was followed by a 4.0-magnitude temblor a minute later. Two smaller quakes of 2.7 magnitude also struck, USGS reported. At 8:33 p.m., a fifth quake of 2.6 magnitude was recorded in the same area. And at 9:04 p.m., the USGS reported that a sixth temblor of 2.7 magnitude again rattled the region.

The quakes all struck about 3 to 4 miles northwest of The Geysers, 3 to 4 miles west of Cobb and about 25 miles north of Santa Rosa. USGS reports that folks from Napa and Sonoma to Santa Rosa, Kelseyville, Middletown, Cobb, Lower Lake, Cloverdale, Calistoga, Healdsburg, Geyserville, Sebastopol, Saint Helena, San Francisco and Santa Cruz experienced the initial 4.2-magnitude earthquake.

The temblors ranged in depth from a half-mile to a mile and a half below the earth's surface.

Did you feel it — or them?

About The Geysers

The Geysers are naturally occurring steam field reservoirs below the earth's surface along the Sonoma and Lake County border in the Mayacamas Mountains. The Geysers are harnessed to provide geothermal energy for the typical power needs of Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties, as well a portion of the power needs of Marin and Napa counties. Operated by Calpine, it is the largest complex of geothermal power plants in the world.

Main image via USGS