December 2006 Commentary

At 12:34 (UT) a Strong earthquake occured 45 miles SSE of Kao-hsuing, Taiwan. The moment magnitude of this earthquake was 6.9. See the USGS Report for this earthquake.

The sequence of earthquakes which occurred around Christmas, 2006, are located along the Hayward Fault zone approximately 1 mile SE of the Berkeley campus. This is a relatively active pocket of seismicity near Berkeley's border with Piedmont. Since 1999, earthquakes within a mile of this sequence have had magnitudes of 2.0 or larger, with 10 of them exceeding a magnitude 3.0. The current spate of activity in this sequence began on 12/20 with a magnitude 3.5 event. Since then, two more quakes with magnitudes greater than 3 have been felt widely, and five with magnitudes of 2.0 or more have been felt near the pocket.

Palm Springs - At 07:43 PM (PST) a mild earthquake occured 7 miles ENE of Coachella, CA. The moment magnitude of this earthquake was 4.0. See the Did You Feel It? for this earthquake. A Shake Map is also available through the USGS pages.

Berkeley - At 09:21 AM (PST) a mild earthquake occured 2 miles ESE of Berkeley, CA. The moment magnitude of this earthquake was 3.5. See the Did You Feel It? for this earthquake. A Shake Map is also available through the USGS pages.

At 10:49 PM (PST) a mild earthquake occured 2 miles ESE of Berkeley, CA. The moment magnitude of this earthquake was 3.7. See the Did You Feel It? for this earthquake. A Shake Map is also available through the USGS pages.

At 07:12 PM (PST) a mild earthquake occured 2 miles ESE of Berkeley, CA. The moment magnitude of this earthquake was also 3.7. See the Did You Feel It? for this earthquake. A Shake Map is also available through the USGS pages.

At 07:21 AM (PST) a mild earthquake occurred 14 miles NE of Bishop, CA. The moment magnitude (Mw) of this earthquake was 4.0. See the Did You Feel It? for this earthquake , and the Shake Map.

At 07:13 AM (PST) a mild earthquake occurred 41 miles W of Petrolia, CA. The moment magnitude of this earthquake was 4.3. See the Did You Feel It? for this earthquake , or view the Shake Map.

At 10:14 AM (PST) a mild earthquake occurred 4 miles ENE of Coalinga, CA. The moment magnitude of theis earthquake was 4.3. See the Did You Feel It? for this earthquake , or view the Shake Map.