4.4-magnitude quake near Petrolia latest to rattle Northern California, USGS reports

A 4.4-magnitude earthquake shook the Northern California coast near Petrolia on Tuesday night, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.

The 18-mile deep quake hit at 5:24 p.m. Pacific time, according to the USGS. More than 100 people from as far away as Mendocino and Clear Lake reported feeling the tremor to the agency.

It was followed by a 3.4-magniude quake nearby at 6:33 p.m. Pacific time, the USGS reported. Ten people reported feeling the smaller quake to the agency.

Petrolia is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County.

Magnitude measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey says. It replaces the old Richter scale.

Quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 magnitude are often felt but rarely cause much damage, according to Michigan Tech.