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LAKE COUNTY – A sizable earthquake followed by smaller temblors hit The Geysers area this afternoon.

The US Geological Survey reported a 4.4 magnitude earthquake at a depth of 1.1 miles occurred at 2:08 p.m.

The quake, which could reportedly be felt from Middletown to Hopland, was centered one mile east southeast of The Geysers, five miles southwest of Cobb and six miles from Anderson Springs, according to the US Geological Survey.

Anderson Springs resident Meriel Medrano said she was on her back deck when the quake occurred.

“It lasted about six seconds,” she said. “It was a pretty long one.”

She said the quake “rolled heavily” for a few seconds, let up a little, then started rolling again.

Another Anderson Springs resident, John Engels, was at work at his office in downtown Middletown when he felt the quake.

“It shook pretty good,” he said, but not enough to knock anything off the walls.

When he got home to Anderson Springs nothing was damaged, Engels added.

Medrano said they're used to having lots of smaller quakes in that area, but larger quakes haven't occurred in a while.

Because of the shallower depth, Medrano believes the quake was a result of the area's geothermal production and injection.

Medrano said she didn't feel the three small quakes that followed within a few minutes of the 4.4 shaker.

A series of eight smaller quakes, the largest a 2.5, followed the 4.4 quake during the afternoon.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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