A magnitude 4.6 earthquake struck central California early Thursday morning, jolting residents awake across a wide stretch of the state and serving as a sharp reminder of the region’s constant seismic activity.
The quake hit around 1:40 a.m., centered near Boulder Creek in the Santa Cruz Mountains, with shaking reported across a broad area, including parts of the San Francisco Bay Area. While the tremor was brief, many residents described a sudden jolt strong enough to rattle homes, shift objects, and trigger mobile earthquake alerts.
Despite the widespread impact, there were no immediate reports of serious damage or injuries. Some residents closer to the epicenter reported minor disruptions, including items knocked from shelves and startled pets, but overall the event appeared to pass without major incident.
Seismologists note that while California experiences frequent small earthquakes, quakes in the mid-4 magnitude range are less common and often serve as a wake-up call for residents living along active fault lines.
The latest tremor reinforces a reality Californians know well: even when damage is minimal, the ground can move without warning.
