The Geysers, Calif. – A moderate earthquake struck 5 miles WNW of The Geysers geothermal field in California, about 72 miles north of San Francisco, according to geologists.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 5.0 quake occurred at 8:41 local time on Wednesday, December 14. The hypocentral depth of the quake is estimated to be about one mile.
The Geysers is located in a tectonically active region of Northern California. The USGS said human activities related to the withdrawal of steam for producing electric power in the region can cause small quakes to occur.
The USGS said until the most recent quake, the largest recorded earthquake at The Geysers was M4.5. Larger earthquakes were thought to be “unlikely”.
SFGATE reports several people reported feeling the shaking on social media, but there were no early reports of significant damage or injuries.
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