The US Geological Survey says an earthquake is hitting near Pinnacles, California

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A 3.4-magnitude earthquake shook north of California’s Pinnacles National Park in the early morning hours of Tuesday, December 13, the US Geological Survey reported. US Geological Survey

A 3.4-magnitude earthquake shook north of California’s Pinnacles National Park in the early morning hours of Tuesday, December 13, the US Geological Survey reported.

The quake, about 6 miles deep, struck just over 6 miles northwest of Pinnacles at 4:31 a.m., according to the USGS.

The agency reported that more than a dozen people from as far away as Soledad and Hollister felt the shaking.

Pinnacles National Park includes three large faults, “Miner’s Gulch, Pinnacles, and Chalone Creek,” as well as additional, smaller faults and fractures, according to the National Park Service.

“Small to moderate earthquakes are frequently felt in the park,” according to the NPS.

Magnitude measures the energy released by the earthquake’s source, says the USGS. It replaces the old Richter scale.

Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 to 5.4 are often felt but rarely cause severe damage, according to Michigan Tech. Earthquakes of less than 2.5 magnitude are rarely felt by most people.

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