3.4-Magnitude Quake in East Bay Hills Shakes Much of Bay Area Awake

The USGS reported a magnitude 3.4 earthquake with an epicenter near Berkeley's Claremont Hotel at 4:42 a.m. Wednesday.

Public reports on the 5-second shake to the USGS "Did You Feel It?" page came from as far away as Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and the Folsom area, east of Sacramento.

The intensity of the shaking -- as gleaned both from those public reports and instruments -- was highest in the East Bay and San Francisco.

BART reported a 20-minute delay for systemwide track inspections.

The quake hit along the Hayward Fault, according to Richard Allen, director of UC Berkeley's Seismology Lab.

The USGS website originally said the quake was a magnitude 3.7, but downgraded it about 40 minutes later. The temblor was followed by two smaller quakes -- 1.9 and 2.7 magnitude -- within 6 minutes of the initial shaking.