A series of small earthquakes shook the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The earthquakes all struck near Hayward, Calif., just south of Oakland. A minor, 3.3-magnitude earthquake happened at 11:52 a.m. Pacific time about 1 mile east of Hayward, Calif., data from the agency shows.

Parts of Northern and Southern California have felt light shaking from earthquakes early this week. Here's how strong they were and which cities were closest to the epicenters.

Earthquakes’ sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches. They can happen anywhere, but they’re most common in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Puerto Rico and Washington, according to the Department of Homeland Security.