Minor earthquake registers on Stanislaus County's West Side

A magnitude-2.6 earthquake was recorded at 1:22 a.m. Thursday near the community of Westley on Stanislaus County's West Side, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The temblor's epicenter was about 14 miles west-southwest of Westley, which has a population of about 600. Its depth was measured at about 1.36 miles.

According to the USGS online page about magnitude and intensity, quakes of magnitude 1 to 3 are "not felt except by a very few under especially favorable conditions."

Even a temblor of magnitude 3-3.9 would be "felt only by a few persons at rest, especially on upper floors of buildings."

The Westley-area quake preceded a magnitude-4.4 one at 2:39 a.m. whose epicenter was 2 miles from Berkeley. No damage or injuries were reported.

This story was originally published January 4, 2018 at 8:13 AM with the headline "Minor earthquake registers on Stanislaus County's West Side."