3.5 EARTHQUAKE SHAKES AREA

A minor earthquake rattled northern Sonoma County early Sunday, measuring

3.5 and centered about 4 miles northwest of The Geysers at about 5:19 a.m.

The Cloverdale and Healdsburg Fire and Police departments said they did not

receive any calls about the tremor.

At a magnitude 3.5, the U.S. Geological Survey classifies the quake as

minor, which means it is often felt in the immediate area but rarely causes

damage.

Within 10 minutes of the initial quake, the Geological Survey also detected

three other, less serious quakes in the area.

Two of them measured 1 or less and occurred in the same location as the 3.5

temblor. Another one, measuring only 0.8 on the scale, shook the ground about

6 miles northwest of Cloverdale.

-- Bleys W. Rose