Thursday's earthquake had an unusually strong effect because it occurred just a tenth of a mile below the surface, making it the shallowest quake recorded in South Carolina so far in 2026, according to state data.
Although Kansas has no active volcanoes, the region marks the southern reach of the Midcontinent Rift System, a massive tectonic event that nearly split North America apart in Earth's distant past. When magma forced its way through the crust during that period, it left behind hardened igneous rock and deep fractures that remain buried thousands of feet underground.
Caltrans announced it's shortening its carpool hours along Highway 101 in Marin and Sonoma counties after months of complaints from frustrated commuters. The hours will now be from 6 to 9 am and 3 to 6:30 pm Monday through Friday, but commuters don't think the change is significant enough to reduce traffic congestion. [Press Democrat] A fight broke out after a basketball game between Piedmont and San Leandro high schools Friday night after two students bumped into each other.
San Francisco's Asian Art Museum is returning some statues that were looted in the mid 1960s from the ruins of a temple in northeast Thailand. "Their repatriation not only safeguards an important part of heritage, but it also allows their history to continue as an enduring part of the Thai nation," says Thailand's ambassador to the US, H.E. Dr. Suriya Chindawongse. [ABC 7] There was a total of 10 small earthquakes on the Calaveras Fault Monday, centered near San Ramon, in what's become a recurring pattern.
The Tartan Army shook the earth as they celebrated Scotland's men qualifying for a first World Cup in 28 years. The British Geological Survey (BGS) recorded the equivalent to an "extremely small earthquake" after Kenny McLean lobbed Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to secure a 4-2 win. A second significant amount of seismic activity came moments later when the final whistle sounded on Wednesday night. Readings were recorded at the BGS station at Glasgow Geothermal Observatory in Dalmarnock about 2km (1.2 miles) from Hampden Park.
The 3.0 Richter scale tremor hit at about 10:18 p.m. on Aug. 3 in Hasbrouck Heights. It occurred about 10 km below the surface, and more than 8,000 reports of weak to light shaking were documented across the five boroughs and northern New Jersey.
The Japanese government approved significant upgrades to the national plan to safeguard the public against potential earthquakes, particularly in the wake of ongoing tremors in the Tokara Islands.
