Quake hits California

A magnitude-4.2 earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay area, rattling residents’ nerves but causing no major damage or injuries.

The tremor struck at 8:40pm on Thursday and was centred a mile north-east of the East Bay town of Lafayette, according to a preliminary report by the US Geological Survey.

The quake, which could be felt by residents throughout the region, lasted between 10 to 15 seconds.

Bridges in the area did not sustain any damage, the California Highway Patrol said.

Trains on the Bay Area Rapid Transit system were temporarily stopped, but resumed normal service about 30 minutes later, said BART spokesman Lynton Johnson.