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Minor Quake Shakes Sonoma County

SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) -- A 3.5-magnitude earthquake shook Sonoma County at 1:17 a.m. Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake was centered two miles east-southeast of The Geysers and 24 miles north of Santa Rosa, the USGS said.

The USGS reported the temblor to have a depth of 0.5 miles.

The area of The Geysers stands as the largest single geothermal field in the world, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

The region continually produces earthquakes between 0.5 and 3.0 on the Richter scale, related to deep-well injection that the Department of Energy says is necessary for the extended and sustained production of geothermal resources at the site.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services may have contributed to this report)

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