Shallow M4.3 Earthquake hit near Berkeley in The United States on Monday Night.

Written by Earthquakelist.org on September 22nd, 2025. Last updated November 21st, 2025.

Under land 1 miles from Berkeley in The United States, a shallow Magnitude 4.3 earthquake occurred in the night of Monday September 22nd, 2025. The earthquake struck near a very densely populated region. The USGS has indicated there is a potential risk at tsunami's following this earthquake.

Earthquake Summary

The earthquake struck on land in The United States, 1 miles (2 km) east-southeast of Berkeley in California. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 5 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	Sep 22, 2025 02:56AM (Los Angeles Time) - Sep 22, 2025 09:56 Universal Time.
Location:	1 mi ESE of Berkeley, California, The United States. Coordinates 37°51'47"N 122°15'14"W.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 4.3 Detected by 226 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.2 .
Depth:	5 mi (8 km) A very shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	V Moderate On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Potential tsunami risk The USGS has indicated there is a potential risk at tsunami's following this earthquake. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Potential tsunami risk

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

There is a potential tsunami risk in the aftermath of this earthquake, immediately evacuate to higher grounds away from coastal areas and monitor advice from local authorities. The US Geographic Survey organization has indicated a potential risk for tsunami's following this earthquake.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor	Under Sea?	MAG-6.5 or stronger?	Shallow depth?
Explanation	Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami.	Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.	Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake	This earthquake appears to have struck on land near a coastal area (2 mi from the sea).	Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 4.3. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 5 mi (8 km). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities, and a 96% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 10.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact, and a 96% chance that the economic impact of this earthquake falls no higher than 10 million USD.

Roughly 12 million people exposed to shaking

The USGS has published a report estimating the number of people exposed to this earthquake. Acoording to their analysis, roughly 12 million have been exposed to shaking at an MMI level of II or higher.

Moderate shaking and very light damage may have been experienced by an estimated 35,760 people. At V, it is the highest MMI level this earthquake has caused. The majority of people (roughly 5.1 million) live in an area exposed to level II, where very weak shaking and no damage is expected.

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
1,710,000	I	Not noticable	None
5,115,000	II	Very weak	None
4,813,000	III	Weak	Probably none
2,184,000	IV	Light	Likely none
35,760	V	Moderate	Very light
0	VI	Strong	Light
0	VII	Very Strong	Moderate
0	VIII	Severe	Moderate to heavy
0	IX	Violent	Heavy
0	X	Extreme	Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in The United States . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Berkeley in California, The United States. Berkeley is located 1 miles (2 km) east-southeast of the epicenter. Berkeley experienced an earthquake intensity (MMI Scale) of roughly IV. That level implies light shaking and likely no damage.

Major cities near this earthquake: Berkeley is located 1 mi to the west-northwest and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage). Oakland is located 4 mi to the south-southwest and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage). San Francisco is located 11 mi to the southwest and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage).

An overview of nearby towns and cities is available in the overview below. If places don't have intensity data available, it likely means the experienced impact in those places was fairly small.

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
1 mi (2 km) WNW from epicenter	Berkeley California, The United States.	IV Light
3 mi (5 km) NW from epicenter	Albany California, The United States.	IV Light
4 mi (7 km) ENE from epicenter	Orinda California, The United States.	IV Light
4 mi (7 km) SSW from epicenter	Oakland California, The United States.	IV Light
5 mi (8 km) NW from epicenter	El Cerrito California, The United States.	IV Light
6 mi (10 km) S from epicenter	Alameda California, The United States.	IV Light
7 mi (11 km) ESE from epicenter	Moraga California, The United States.	V Moderate
7 mi (12 km) ENE from epicenter	Lafayette California, The United States.	IV Light
7 mi (12 km) NW from epicenter	Richmond California, The United States.	IV Light
9 mi (14 km) NW from epicenter	San Pablo California, The United States.	IV Light
9 mi (15 km) WSW from epicenter	Chinatown California, The United States.	III Weak
10 mi (16 km) NNW from epicenter	Pinole California, The United States.	IV Light
11 mi (17 km) N from epicenter	Hercules California, The United States.	IV Light
11 mi (17 km) ENE from epicenter	Walnut Creek California, The United States.	IV Light
11 mi (18 km) SW from epicenter	Mission District California, The United States.	IV Light
11 mi (18 km) SW from epicenter	San Francisco California, The United States.	IV Light
11 mi (18 km) SSE from epicenter	San Leandro California, The United States.	IV Light
12 mi (19 km) ENE from epicenter	Pleasant Hill California, The United States.	IV Light
12 mi (20 km) NNE from epicenter	Martinez California, The United States.	IV Light
12 mi (20 km) SW from epicenter	Noe Valley California, The United States.	IV Light
13 mi (21 km) SW from epicenter	Visitacion Valley California, The United States.	III Weak
14 mi (22 km) NNE from epicenter	Benicia California, The United States.	IV Light
14 mi (22 km) SE from epicenter	Ashland California, The United States.	IV Light
14 mi (23 km) SSE from epicenter	San Lorenzo California, The United States.	IV Light
14 mi (23 km) NE from epicenter	Concord California, The United States.	IV Light
14 mi (23 km) E from epicenter	Danville California, The United States.	III Weak
15 mi (24 km) SE from epicenter	Castro Valley California, The United States.	III Weak
16 mi (25 km) SW from epicenter	Daly City California, The United States.	III Weak
16 mi (26 km) SE from epicenter	Hayward California, The United States.	III Weak
16 mi (26 km) ESE from epicenter	San Ramon California, The United States.	III Weak
17 mi (27 km) N from epicenter	Vallejo California, The United States.	III Weak
17 mi (27 km) WNW from epicenter	San Rafael California, The United States.	III Weak
17 mi (27 km) SSW from epicenter	South San Francisco California, The United States.	III Weak
18 mi (29 km) SSW from epicenter	San Bruno California, The United States.	III Weak
21 mi (33 km) ESE from epicenter	Dublin California, The United States.	III Weak
21 mi (34 km) SW from epicenter	Pacifica California, The United States.	III Weak
21 mi (34 km) S from epicenter	San Mateo California, The United States.	III Weak
22 mi (36 km) SE from epicenter	Union City California, The United States.	III Weak
23 mi (37 km) ENE from epicenter	Pittsburg California, The United States.	III Weak
24 mi (39 km) NW from epicenter	Novato California, The United States.	III Weak
25 mi (40 km) ESE from epicenter	Pleasanton California, The United States.	III Weak
26 mi (42 km) S from epicenter	Redwood City California, The United States.	III Weak
26 mi (42 km) ENE from epicenter	Antioch California, The United States.	III Weak
26 mi (42 km) SE from epicenter	Fremont California, The United States.	III Weak
29 mi (47 km) NNE from epicenter	Fairfield California, The United States.	III Weak
29 mi (47 km) ESE from epicenter	Livermore California, The United States.	III Weak
30 mi (48 km) N from epicenter	Napa California, The United States.	III Weak
36 mi (58 km) SSE from epicenter	Sunnyvale California, The United States.	III Weak
39 mi (62 km) SSE from epicenter	Santa Clara California, The United States.	III Weak
41 mi (66 km) SSE from epicenter	San Jose California, The United States.	III Weak
53 mi (85 km) E from epicenter	Stockton California, The United States.	II Weak
175 mi (281 km) NE from epicenter	Reno Nevada, The United States.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The graph below overlays a map of the region around the epicenter with earthquake intensity data provided by the US Geographic Survey. The highest intensity level detected for this earthquake is V.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

2 Aftershocks detected

This main shock was followed by 2 smaller aftershocks. A 2.9 magnitude earthquake hit 15 hrs later 0.6 mi (1 km) south-southeast of this earthquake.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.
Classification	Magnitude	When	Where
Main Shock This Earthquake	M 4.3	Sep 22, 2025 02:56AM (Los Angeles Time)	-
Aftershock	M 2.6	5 hrs later Sep 22, 2025 08:01AM (Los Angeles Time)	0.6 mi (1 km) SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 2.9	15 hrs later Sep 22, 2025 06:21PM (Los Angeles Time)	0.6 mi (1 km) SSE from Main Shock.

More earthquakes coming?

The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.

It's always adviced to be cautious of the risk of a larger shock following any significant earthquake, however this risk is fairly small. There is a roughly 94 percent change that no larger main shock will follow in the days following this earthquake.

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

Earthquakes like this happen often in the region

Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since February 14th, 2025, when a 4.3 magnitude earthquake hit 168 mi (270 km) further south-east. An even stronger magnitude 6 earthquake struck on July 8th, 2021.

In total, 48 earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.3 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 3 months.

Sources

Last updated 21/11/25 08:08 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.