Posted on 04/03/2026 1:25:45 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Residents of the Santa Cruz Mountains experienced a magnitude 4.6 earthquake early Thursday morning, the strongest since the 1989 Loma Prieta quake.
Residents of the Santa Cruz Mountains felt every second of a magnitude 4.6 earthquake early Thursday morning, marking the strongest quake in the region since the 1989 Loma Prieta disaster.
"I did go outside expecting to see the Earth open, and it was that intense," said Keith Swick, a mountain resident.
Advertisement Magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Boulder Creek wakes Central Coast residentsMagnitude 4.6 earthquake near Boulder Creek wakes Central Coast residents Home cameras captured the moment the world started shaking just before 2 a.m. The earthquake originated in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
"This felt like the whole forest fell," Swick said.
The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed that this is the largest earthquake in the mountain region since the 1989 Loma Prieta quake.
For neighbors who lived through that disaster, Thursday's quake brought back some scary memories.
"The role of the floor was definitely different because Loma Prieta was a really quick shake back and forth. It just kept going. This one had that long swaying, rolling feeling which made it feel more dramatic," said Krista Cheshire, another resident.
felton earthquake ksbw Viewer videos capture shaking and damage from 4.6 earthquake in Santa Cruz County Since the initial jolt, the U.S. Geological Survey hasn't recorded any major aftershocks.
However, experts caution that there is still a chance of a larger earthquake following any magnitude 4 or 5 event.
"It's well documented that there is still a chance of a larger earthquake followed by any magnitude four or five event," said Natalia Ruppert, early warning earthquake program coordinator for USGS.
Mountain residents say they are used to staying prepared for the possibility of more shaking.
"Well, living in the forest, we actually have some things together ready, like a to-go box. And so we have all our paperwork in an easy-access place," Chesire said.
Experts say serious damage usually starts at a magnitude 5, but in the mountains, the rules are a little different.
4.6 earthquake in Santa Cruz Mountains largest since Loma Prieta, experts say "If it's a mountainous region like this, there are always loose rocks that can be shaken off the slopes," an expert said.
For Richard Swick, the earthquake meant finding a new crack in his roof that wasn't there before the sun went down.
Scientists say while we can't predict when the next one hits, the advice for when it does remains the same.
"If you're in a building, in a room, home or office, be prepared to drop, cover and hold," Ruppert said.
You can sign up for Early Earthquake warnings here.
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Goin’ back, I’m too tired to roam, Loma Prieta my mountain home
On the hills above Santa Cruz to the place where I spent my youth
it was the talk of the town in Monterey yesterday
The epicenter of the Loma Prieta earthquake is in Forest of the Nisene Marks State Park, and they have the spot marked on a trail.
So, they felt it down there?
It’s my favorite Doobies song.
I’m too far north to have felt it in Marin County.
I recall the 1989 quake vividly. It was on a hot day, middle of October.
I thought it was the Feltones..
I’m 3 (horizontal) miles from the Loma Prieta epicenter.
Didn’t feel anything last night. Real busy sleeping.
dunno
I know one lives in Felton and the other I believe lives in Santa Cruz
Great San Francisco earthquake of 1906--Teddy Roosevelt (R) was President.
Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989--George H. W. Bush (R) was President.
Santa Cruz Mountains earthquake of 2026--Donald Trump (R) is President.
Maybe The View will pick up on this.
Ping
(The epicenter of the Loma Prieta earthquake is in Forest of the Nisene Marks State Park, and they have the spot marked on a trail.)
Wow 😮
It’s an awesome song
I had it on 8-track
Scares me to go back to that shopping mall and
think that I was parking 🅿️ my car there way back
in the 1970s - I was there about 3 years ago and
parked about 150 feet from where I parked way back
And that was the only damage we've found.
I’m glad that’s all!
Shake, shake it off.
repeat chorus.
Thx for the ping.
M
Mine too last seen heading for Kansas
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