An early-morning earthquake gave parts of El Dorado County a brief shake Friday, while leaving other residents wondering what all the commotion was about.
The earthquake struck at 3:00:11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2, according to the reviewed earthquake record maintained by the Southern California Earthquake Data Center, using data from the U.S. Geological Survey and UC Berkeley Seismological Laboratory. The epicenter was approximately 6 miles west-southwest of South Lake Tahoe, in El Dorado County, at a depth of roughly 6.8 miles.
The event was initially reported as a magnitude 3.7 earthquake, prompting early Friday reports from local and regional news outlets. After additional analysis and review, the earthquake record was revised to magnitude 3.3. The reviewed earthquake report now supersedes the earlier preliminary magnitude.
The official earthquake record describes the event simply as a “minor earthquake.”
Did El Dorado County feel it?
Apparently, it depended on where you were — and whether you were awake.
Reports circulating among El Dorado County residents Friday morning showed a wide range of experiences.
Michelle Gerell reported feeling the earthquake in Diamond Springs, while Toni Verducci said she both felt and heard the event near Sly Park Road on the Pleasant Valley side.
“I felt and heard it,” Verducci reported.
Kim Connelly said she felt the shaking in Camino, while Sue Harris reported feeling it in Georgetown.
Others slept through it entirely.
Several residents said they did not feel the earthquake, including people in areas where others reported movement or noise. One resident described hearing what sounded like thunder, while others questioned whether their phones should have issued an earthquake alert.
Those differences are not unusual with a relatively small earthquake. Distance from the epicenter, local geology, the structure of a building and whether someone is asleep or moving around can all affect whether an earthquake is noticed.
Close to South Lake Tahoe
The epicenter was located at approximately 38.894 degrees north latitude and 120.081 degrees west longitude, according to the reviewed earthquake record. The event was roughly 9 kilometers, or 6 miles, west-southwest of South Lake Tahoe.
Other nearby communities listed in the seismic record include Kingsbury, Nevada; Tahoma; Minden, Nevada; and Sunnyside-Tahoe City.
The earthquake’s location puts the event squarely in the Tahoe portion of El Dorado County, although reports of shaking extended well beyond the immediate South Lake Tahoe area.
No immediate damage reported
There were no immediate reports Friday morning of significant damage or injuries associated with the earthquake.
At magnitude 3.3, the earthquake was strong enough for some people near the epicenter to notice but was not an event expected to produce widespread structural damage.
Still, earthquakes are a reminder that El Dorado County sits in an active seismic region, particularly around the Lake Tahoe Basin.
Residents who felt the earthquake can report their experience through the USGS “Did You Feel It?” system, which collects observations from the public and helps scientists map the intensity of shaking.
As of Friday morning, the official record for earthquake NC75442791 had been reviewed by a seismologist, with the magnitude established at 3.3.
For residents across El Dorado County, however, the question remains much simpler:
Did you feel it?
If you were awake at 3 a.m. in Diamond Springs, Placerville, Camino, Pleasant Valley, Georgetown, Pollock Pines or the Tahoe Basin, your experience may have been very different from your neighbor’s.
Tell us where you were — and whether you felt or heard the earthquake.
Sources: U.S. Geological Survey; Southern California Earthquake Data Center; UC Berkeley Seismological Laboratory.
