Community Corner

Two Earthquakes Shake Gilroy Monday Morning

Temblors of 2.5 and 3.7 magnitudes struck the Garlic City after 1:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 2, 2013.

—By Bay City News Service

Update: 11:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 2:
Some people reported feeling at least one of two early-morning earthquakes that occurred today near Gilroy but there were no reports of injuries or property damage, a police spokesman said.

Gilroy police Sgt. Robert Locke-Paddon said no one appears to have been hurt, but one of the quakes did interrupt his sleep this morning.

"A lot of people were awakened," Locke-Paddon said. "It was a pretty good jolt. I felt it, too. I only felt the one."

The U.S. Geological Survey recorded temblors of magnitudes 2.5 and 3.7 centered outside of Gilroy at 1:35 a.m. and 2:05 a.m., respectively.

The first, smaller quake struck about four miles south-southeast of Gilroy 5.3 miles underground, and the larger one happened about 5 miles south-southeast of the city and had a depth of 4.2 miles, according to the USGS.

Jonathan Keahey, manager of the Los Gatos Health & Fitness gym, said he was visiting his parents' home near the Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Gilroy when noise from their animals woke him up.

"My parents' goats, roosters and chickens were going crazy, then the earthquake happened, then they were still going, and then they were done," Keahey said.

Connie Gallardo, the day manager of the CVS pharmacy at 825 First St. in downtown Gilroy, which is open 24 hours each day, said the quakes did not affect store workers or merchandise.

Gallardo said she learned of at least one of the quakes from one of her nighttime employees.

"He asked me if I felt the earthquake while I was at home," Gallardo said. "And I said no, I slept right through it."

She said the only earthquake she can recall feeling in Gilroy was the 6.9-magnitude Loma Prieta temblor back in 1989.

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Earthquakes of 2.5 and 3.7 magnitudes have struck the Gilroy area in Santa Clara County Monday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The temblors occurred at about 1:35 a.m. and 2:05 a.m. respectively.

The smaller quake struck about 4 miles south-southeast of Gilroy and had a depth of 5.3 miles; the larger of the two - which was downgraded from a 3.9-magnitude initial reading - was about 5 miles south-southeast of Gilroy and 4.2 miles deep.

Copyright © 2013 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.



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