San Jose

What to Know About Bay Area Fault Lines and Earthquake Magnitudes

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A 5.1 magnitude earthquake centered near San Jose on Tuesday occurred along the Calaveras Fault, not the most active fault in the Bay Area.

It was the strongest quake along that fault line since a 5.4 magnitude temblor centered in the Alum Rock area of San Jose in 2007.

It's the strongest earthquake in the Bay Area proper since a 6.0 quake in 2014 caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage in the Napa Valley.

NBC Bay Area is tracking fault lines, magnitudes and other earthquake statistics, including expert projections that there's a 76% chance a 7.0 magnitude quake or stronger will strike within the next 30 years.

Meteorologist Kari Hall has details on all the stats and what to know about earthquake magnitudes in the video above.

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