5.6 Quake Rattles Bay Area

An 5.6-magnitude earthquake rumbled through the Bay Area last night, lasting up to 15 seconds and causing tremors as far north as Eugene, Ore. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the quake, the largest since the devastating 6.9 quake in 1989, caused only small disruptions—but raises fears of a larger quake along the treacherous Hayward Fault.

Earthquakes can rattle nearby faults and produce larger tremors. Geologists have determined that the probability of a seriously damaging temblor along the Hayward Fault is greater than 1 in 4. Last night's quake produced little damage, but substantial fears: "I thought, 'I don't want to die young. I don't want to die like this,'" said one San Jose resident. (More San Francisco stories.)