By John Q. Hosedrinker 
A 4.3 magnitude earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay Area early Monday morning, centered east-southeast of Berkeley, with over 22,000 people reporting they felt the tremor. While no major damage or injuries were reported, some businesses experienced broken windows and fallen merchandise. The earthquake prompted reduced train speeds and delays for Bay Area Rapid Transit, and residents as far south as Salinas reported feeling the shaking. Officials are assessing the impact, and the event served as a reminder of the region’s seismic risks and the importance of preparedness.
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Earthquake with 4.3 magnitude rocks San Francisco Bay Area. Honestly, a 4.3 magnitude earthquake in the Bay Area? Seems like it barely registers on the local Richter scale. The consensus appears to be, it’s more of a “blip” than a “boom.” Many folks are saying they didn’t even feel it, or if they did, it was just a gentle nudge, a subtle reminder that the ground beneath our feet isn’t always as stable as we’d like.
The reactions are pretty consistent, with many sharing anecdotes of previous earthquake experiences. A common sentiment seems to be that anything less than a 5.0 barely warrants a raised eyebrow. Some remember instances where a 4.0 registered as a slight sway while at their desk, akin to being on a boat. One person even reminisced about a larger quake that did jolt them into action, but the general feeling is that a 4.3 is a non-event.
It’s interesting to hear people’s varying perspectives on this, from the casual dismissal of a 4.3 quake to the recollection of their first earthquake experience. Some recall being genuinely spooked by their first tremor, while locals seem to have a much more relaxed attitude. Several people shared stories from out of state or even out of country, finding the casual approach of the Californian’s to quakes to be fascinating. It sounds like the locals, having grown up with these events, have developed a healthy dose of earthquake indifference. There seems to be a certain level of desensitization that comes with living in an active seismic zone.
Many responses highlight the relative insignificance of the event. The term “meh” pops up repeatedly, and people are joking about going back to sleep without a second thought. The general impression is that, in the Bay Area, it takes a stronger shake to really get people’s attention. A few even poked fun at the media coverage, suggesting it’s hardly newsworthy.
This experience seems to have brought out a few stories, like one where someone was at their desk, and felt a slight sway, or when someone was in Santa Rosa for the 6.0 quake in 2014. There are a few people who were in San Francisco for a similar 4.0 experience, where it took a moment or two to even register what was happening. A fun story of a person who was in a house and had their frame shift, which freaked them out, despite their friends’ lack of reaction.
There’s a feeling that a 4.3 is barely worth a mention. You only might notice it if you’re already awake, or if the event happens to be very close to your location. There’s a sense of pride in being unfazed, a sort of “been there, felt that” attitude. Some people use their pet’s reactions as a measure of how serious the quake is, while others joke about the potential for the end of the world.
The whole thing feels almost like an inside joke shared by those who live in earthquake country, with the locals often comparing these events to other events that have taken place in the area over time. Some compare the experience to an event that happened in their lives, while others use humor to talk about the issue. The overall takeaway is that, in the grand scheme of things, a 4.3 magnitude earthquake in the San Francisco Bay Area isn’t exactly headline news. But it does offer an opportunity to share some stories and maybe have a laugh at the casual nature of the locals when they’re faced with some minor tremors.