3.7-magnitude earthquake rattles Northern California awake, geologists say

A 3.7-magnitude earthquake shook the Santa Clara County area in California, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The nearly 4-mile deep quake hit about 5 1/2 miles from San Martin at 5:58 a.m. Monday, Jan. 23, according to the USGS.

More than 200 people from as far away as Santa Rosa and Hollister reported feeling the shake, according to the agency.

Magnitude measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey says. It replaces the old Richter scale.

Quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 magnitude are often felt but rarely cause much damage, according to Michigan Tech. Quakes below 2.5 magnitude are seldom felt by most people.

This story was originally published January 23, 2023 at 8:08 AM with the headline "3.7-magnitude earthquake rattles Northern California awake, geologists say."

Daniella Segura

McClatchy DC

Daniella Segura is a national real-time reporter with McClatchy. Previously, she’s worked as a multimedia journalist for weekly and daily newspapers in the Los Angeles area. Her work has been recognized by the California News Publishers Association. She is also an alumnus of the University of Southern California and UC Berkeley.