Magnitude 4.1 earthquake hits California’s Bay Area

A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck California’s Bay Area on Thursday in the early hours of the morning.

There were no immediate reports of damage, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The quake struck near Bay Point, about 30 miles (50km) east of San Francisco around 5am.

The seismic activity registered at about 11 miles (18km) deep, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Light to weak shaking was felt around the Bay Area.

The Bay Area Rapid Transit, which runs public transport in the region, were carrying out inspections for track damage and warned commuters of potential delays.

Noticeable shaking was reported to USGS around the northern Californian cities of San Jose, Santa Rosa and Sacramento.

There was no risk of a tsunami, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported.

USGS noted that magnitude 4 earthquakes are usually felt indoors, but rarely cause significant damage.

Earthquakes are in many parts of California, including the Bay Area, since it sits along a major fault zone between the Pacific and North American plates.

Along the boundary of the San Andreas fault, the plates slide past each other in opposite directions – a type of plate boundary that commonly leads to earthquakes.