Magnitude 6.0 quake reported in California
By DPA, IANSThursday, February 4, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO - An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale struck late Thursday off the northern California coast but caused little apparent damage.
The quake followed a 6.5 temblor that struck the same area Jan 9, causing some $12 million of structural damage to the coastal city of Eureka.
The US Geological Survey said that the quake struck at 12:20 p.m. local time and that the shaking could be felt over a radius of 240 km.
Local officials said there had been no reports of damage in the latest quake.
The area where the temblor hit is some 500 km north of San Francisco. It is known as the earthquake capital of California because it sits on three tectonic plates that frequently collide, causing earthquakes.
Researchers say the area has historically been hit with a huge quake every 300 to 400 years.
