Quake Strikes in Central California Coastal Area

HOLLISTER, Calif. -- A moderate earthquake shook California's central coastal area early Saturday. The quake was widely felt in the region but there were no immediate reports of any injuries or damages.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude 4.6 quake struck at 12:18 a.m. and was centered 22 miles southeast of Hollister.

In the two hours that followed, several smaller quakes ranging from magnitude 3.6 to 2.5 struck in the same general area.

The USGS website contained hundreds of hits from people reporting that they felt the larger temblor, with the highest concentration of responses in Hollister, Salinas, Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Jose.

The Monterey County Sheriff's dispatch office says several callers reported feeling the quake, but there were no reports of any injuries or damage.