Minor Earthquakes Rattle San Ramon Area

Two quakes struck the East Bay community on Friday morning, the latest in a series of small tremors.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 5:07pm by Ben Kaplan

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Two minor earthquakes, measuring 3.4 and 2.9 in magnitude, struck the San Ramon area on Friday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quakes were felt across the East Bay, with some reports coming from as far as the Peninsula, San Francisco, and the Santa Cruz Mountains. This is the latest in a series of small earthquake swarms that have hit the San Ramon region in recent years.

Why it matters

Earthquake swarms are a fairly common occurrence in the San Ramon area, with multiple small tremors striking the region over the past several decades. While these latest quakes caused no immediate reports of damage or injuries, they serve as a reminder of the seismic activity in the East Bay and the need for earthquake preparedness.

The details

The first quake, a magnitude 3.4, struck about 2 miles southeast of San Ramon at 10:33 a.m. Less than a minute later, a 2.9 magnitude quake hit the same general area. According to the USGS, the first quake was felt across a wide swath of the East Bay, while the second was more localized near the epicenter.

  • The earthquakes struck on Friday, January 30, 2026.
  • The first quake, a magnitude 3.4, occurred at 10:33 a.m.
  • The second quake, a magnitude 2.9, occurred less than a minute later at 10:34 a.m.

The players

U.S. Geological Survey

The federal agency responsible for monitoring and reporting on seismic activity in the United States.

Dr. Annemarie Baltay

A geophysicist and seismologist with the USGS who has studied the earthquake swarms in the San Ramon area.

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What they’re saying

“We've seen them historically,1970, 1976, 1990, 2002, 2003, 2015, 2018, and now, we had a small swarm in November and another swarm now.”

— Dr. Annemarie Baltay, Geophysicist and Seismologist, U.S. Geological Survey (CBS News Bay Area)

The takeaway

While these latest quakes were relatively minor, they serve as a reminder that the San Ramon area is prone to seismic activity and that residents should be prepared for the possibility of future earthquakes, no matter how small.