Are the recent earthquakes in California a warning of a Big One?

USGS scientists state that small earthquakes are not indicative of an impending larger earthquake, but preparedness is always advised.

What is the risk of a major earthquake in the Bay Area?

There is a 72 percent chance of a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake occurring in the Bay Area by 2043.

Home / Disasters and Accidents / California Shakes: Quakes Hit San Ramon Again

California Shakes: Quakes Hit San Ramon Again

Q: Why is San Ramon experiencing so many earthquakes?

San Ramon is situated on the Calaveras Fault, an active branch of the San Andreas Fault system, which is prone to seismic activity.

9 Jan

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Summary

Multiple earthquakes struck near San Ramon, California, on Friday.
USGS scientists state small quakes do not predict larger events.
A 72% chance of a major earthquake in the Bay Area exists by 2043.

California Shakes: Quakes Hit San Ramon Again

Multiple earthquakes were detected in California on Friday, occurring within minutes of each other. The seismic activity commenced with a 3.0 magnitude tremor near San Ramon, an area experiencing earthquake clusters since November 2025. The US Geological Survey (USGS) also recorded two smaller quakes, a 2.8 and a 2.6 magnitude, just four minutes later.

Hundreds of people across the San Francisco Bay Area reported feeling the shaking. Despite over 300 earthquakes hitting the region since November, USGS research geophysicist Annemarie Baltay stated that small events do not signal larger ones. She emphasized the importance of ongoing preparedness in "earthquake country."

Baltay noted a 72 percent probability of a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake in the Bay Area by 2043. San Ramon sits atop the Calaveras Fault, an active branch of the San Andreas Fault system, which is capable of producing such significant seismic events.