Oakland urges residents: Be prepared for big quake

A 4.0-magnitude earthquake in Oakland Monday morning is prompting city officials to warn residents to be prepared in the event of a major earthquake.

The 6:49 a.m. tremor, centered on the Hayward fault in the area between Lake Temescal and the Mountain View Cemetery, shook residents throughout the area awake, but there have been no reports of damage or injuries. BART trains were delayed about 10 minutes while crews checked tracks for damage.

As always, however, next time could be different.

Oakland offers a free training program to help residents prepare for a major earthquake and establish neighborhood response teams. Such preparations are important because a major event might overwhelm first responders for days. The City of Oakland has more information and a schedule of classes on their website.