Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 13
3.8-Magnitude Quake Slows Bay Area Commute as BART Inspects Tracks
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 13

3.8-Magnitude Quake Slows Bay Area Commute as BART Inspects Tracks

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 13

Summary

  • A 3.8-magnitude earthquake struck at 8:30 a.m. Pacific about 2 miles north of San Leandro, jolting the San Francisco Bay Area and briefly disrupting the morning commute.
  • BART halted trains and then ran them at reduced speeds while crews inspected tracks; the transit system later found no problems.
  • USGS had initially put the quake at 4.1 before revising it to 3.8, and seismologists said the magnitude and shake map could still be updated as more data comes in.
  • Residents near the Hayward Fault reported a sharp jolt and at least one aftershock, underscoring persistent concern about a larger quake on a fault many consider overdue.

Insights

Why did zoo animals sense the Bay Area quake before humans, and could this biological secret improve our early warning systems?
If a minor quake rattled the Bay Area so widely, what catastrophic damage awaits when the overdue Hayward Fault finally ruptures?
Why did the ShakeAlert system stay silent during the Oakland earthquake, and is the current warning threshold leaving residents dangerously exposed?