California Earthquake History 1769-Present
Includes California, Baja California, and Nevada events
The magnitude listed here is the "summary magnitude". For most events prior to 1898 this is the adjusted intensity magnitude, and for events after 1898 it is the surface wave magnitude. The list includes known earthquakes with a magnitude of at least 6 and selected smaller events. The smaller events since 1898 all have at least one reported magnitude of at least 5.8, even if the summary magnitude is smaller. Some of these magnitudes may be different than what is reported in the Southern California or Northern California Earthquake Catalog. In the future, we will adjust some of these magnitudes to reflect the best measure of the earthquake and label the type of magnitude being reported.
The date and time for each earthquake are given as "24 hour" time referenced to Greenwich Mean Time (now UTC). To convert a time to Pacific Standard Time (PST), subtract 8 hours. To convert a time to Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), where appropriate, subtract 7 hours. Example: The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake occurred at 00:04 UTC on October 18, 1989 or 5:04pm PDT on October 17, 1989.
Source:
Ellsworth, William L., "Earthquake History, 1769-1989" in USGS Professional Paper 1515, Robert E. Wallace, ed.,1990; William Ellsworth, personal communication; and USGS earthquake catalogs.
DATE TIME(GMT) LATITUDE LONGITUDE MAG LOCATION year mth dy hr min (N) (W) ====================================================================== 1769 7 28 0 0 34 0.00 118 0.00 6.0 Los Angeles Basin 1800 11 22 2130 33 0. 117 18.00 6.5 San Diego region 1808 6 24 0 0 37 48.00 122 30.00 6.0 San Francisco region 1812 12 8 15 0 34 22.00 117 39.00 7.0 Wrightwood 1812 12 21 19 0 34 12.00 119 54.00 7.0 Santa Barbara Channel 1827 9 24 4 0 34 0. 119 0. 5.5 Los Angeles region 1836 6 10 1530 37 48.00 122 12.00 6.75 Hayward Valley 1838 6 0 0 0 37 36.00 122 24.00 7.0 San Francisco Peninsula 1852 11 29 20 0 32 30.00 115 0. 6.5 Volcano Lake, B.C. 1855 7 11 415 34 6.00 118 6.00 6.0 Los Angeles region 1856 2 15 1325 37 30.00 122 18.00 5.5 San Francisco Peninsula 1857 1 9 16 0 35 42.00 120 18.00 8.25 Great Fort Tejon earthquake 1857 9 3 3 5 39 18.00 120 0. 6.25 W. Nevada or E. Sierra Nevada 1858 11 26 835 37 30.00 121 54.00 6.25 San Jose region 1858 12 16 10 0 34 0. 117 30.00 6.0 San Bernardino region 1860 3 15 19 0 39 30.00 119 30.00 6.5 Carson City, Nevada region 1861 7 4 011 37 48.00 122 0. 5.75 San Ramon Valley 1862 5 27 20 0 32 42.00 117 12.00 6.0 San Diego region 1864 2 26 1347 37 6.00 121 42.00 6.0 S. Santa Cruz Mountains 1864 3 5 1649 37 42.00 122 0. 5.75 E. of San Francisco Bay 1865 10 8 2046 37 0.00 122 00.00 6.5 S. Santa Cruz Mountains 1866 7 15 0630 37 30.00 121 18.00 6.0 W. San Joaquin Valley 1868 5 30 510 39 18.00 119 42.00 6.0 Virginia City, Nevada 1868 10 21 1553 37 42.00 122 6.00 7.0 Hayward fault 1869 12 27 155 39 24.00 119 42.00 6.25 Olinghouse fault, Nevada 1869 12 27 10 0 39 6.00 119 48.00 6.0 Carson City, Nevada region 1870 2 17 2012 37 12.00 122 6.00 6.0 Los Gatos 1871 3 2 21 5 40 24.00 124 12.00 6.0 Cape Mendocino 1872 3 26 1030 36 42.00 118 6.00 7.6 Owens Valley 1872 3 26 14 6 36 54.00 118 12.00 6.75 Owens Valley 1872 4 3 1215 37 0. 118 12.00 6.25 Owens Valley 1872 4 11 19 0 37 30.00 118 30.00 6.75 Owens Valley 1872 5 3 1 0 33 0. 115 0. 5.75 Imperial Valley (?) 1872 11 12 0 0 39 0. 117 0. 6.0 Austin, Nevada region (?) 1873 11 23 5 0 42 0. 124 0. 6.75 Crescent City 1875 1 24 1200 40 42. 120 30. 6.0 Honey Lake 1875 11 15 2230 32 30.00 115 30.00 6.25 Imperial Vly to Colorado R. delta 1878 5 9 425 40 6.00 124 0. 6.0 Punta Gorda region 1881 2 2 011 36 0. 120 30.00 5.75 Parkfield 1881 4 10 10 0 37 24.00 121 24.00 6.0 W. San Joaquin Valley 1882 3 6 2145 36 54. 121 12. 5.75 Hollister 1883 9 5 1230 34 12.00 119 54.00 6.25 Santa Barbara Channel 1884 1 28 730 41 6. 123 36. 5.75 Klamath Mountains 1884 3 26 40 37 6. 122 12. 6.0 Santa Cruz Mountains 1885 1 31 545 40 24. 120 36. 5.75 Susanville 1885 4 12 4 5 36 24.00 121 0. 6.25 S. Diablo Range 1887 6 3 1048 39 12.00 119 48.00 6.5 Carson City, Neveda region 1888 4 29 448 39 42.00 120 42.00 6.0 Mohawk Valley 1889 5 19 1110 38 0. 121 54.00 6.25 Antioch 1889 6 20 6 0 40 30.00 120 42.00 6.0 Susanville 1889 9 30 520 37 12. 118 42. 5.75 Bishop region 1890 2 9 12 6 33 24.00 116 18.00 6.5 San Jacinto or Elsinore fault region (?) 1890 4 24 1136 36 54.00 121 36.00 6.25 Pajaro Gap 1890 7 26 940 40 30.00 124 12.00 6.25 Cape Mendocino 1891 7 30 1410 32 0. 115 0. 6.0 Colorado R. delta region 1892 2 24 720 32 33.00 115 38.00 7.0 Laguna Salada, B.C. 1892 4 19 1050 38 24.00 122 0. 6.5 Vacaville 1892 4 21 1743 38 30.00 121 54.00 6.25 Winters 1892 5 28 1115 33 12.00 116 12.00 6.5 San Jacinto or Elsinore fault region (?) 1892 11 13 1245 36 48.00 121 30.00 5.75 Hollister 1893 5 19 035 34 6.00 119 24.00 5.75 Pico Canyon 1894 7 30 512 34 18.00 117 36.00 6.0 Lytle Creek region 1894 9 30 1736 40 18. 123 42. 6.0 Cape Mendocino region 1894 10 23 23 3 32 48.00 116 48.00 5.75 E. of San Diego 1896 8 17 1130 36 42.00 118 18.00 6.0 SE Sierra Nevada 1897 6 20 2014 37 0. 121 30.00 6.25 Gilroy 1898 3 31 743 38 12.00 122 24.00 6.5 Mare Island 1898 4 15 7 7 39 12.00 123 48.00 6.5 Mendocino 1899 4 16 1340 41 0. 126 0. 7.0 W. of Eureka 1899 7 6 2010 37 12. 121 30. 5.75 Morgan Hill 1899 7 22 2032 34 18.00 117 30.00 5.75 Lytle Creek region 1899 12 25 1225 33 48.00 117 0. 6.4 San Jacinto and Hemet 1901 3 3 745 36 0. 120 30.00 6.4 Parkfield 1903 1 24 527 31 30.00 115 0.00 6.6 Colorado R. delta region 1903 6 11 1312 37 24.00 121 54.00 5.5 San Jose 1903 8 3 649 37 18.00 121 48.00 5.5 San Jose 1906 4 18 1312 37 42.00 122 30.00 8.25 Great 1906 earthquake 1906 4 19 030 32 54.00 115 30.00 6.2 Imperial Valley 1906 4 23 910 41 0. 124 0. 6.4 Arcata 1907 9 20 154 34 12.00 117 6.00 5.3 San Bernardino region 1908 11 4 837 36 0. 117 0. 6.0 Death Valley region 1909 10 29 645 40 30.00 124 12.00 5.8 Cape Mendocino 1910 3 11 652 36 54.00 121 48.00 5.8 Watsonville 1910 3 19 011 40 0. 125 0. 6.0 W. of Cape Mendocino 1910 5 15 1547 33 42.00 117 24.00 5.5 Glen Ivy Hot Springs 1910 8 5 131 42 0. 127 0. 6.6 W. of Crescent City 1911 7 1 22 0 37 15.00 121 45.00 6.5 Calaveras fault 1914 2 18 1817 39 30.00 119 48.00 5.5 Truckee region 1914 4 24 834 39 30.00 119 48.00 6.0 Truckee region 1915 5 6 12 9 40 0.00 126 0. 6.2 W. of Cape Mendocino 1915 6 23 359 32 48.00 115 30.00 6.0 Imperial Valley 1915 6 23 456 32 48.00 115 30.00 5.9 Imperial Valley 1915 10 3 652 40 30.00 117 30.00 7.3 Pleasant Valley, Nevada 1915 11 21 013 32 0. 115 0. 7.1 Volcano Lake, B.C. 1915 12 31 1220 41 0. 126 0. 6.5 W. of Eureka 1916 2 3 5 3 41 0. 117 48.00 5.9 N. of Pleasant Valley, Nevada 1916 10 23 244 34 54.00 118 54.00 5.3 Tejon Pass region 1916 11 10 911 35 30.00 116 0. 6.1 S. of Death Valley 1918 4 21 2232 33 48.00 117 0. 6.9 San Jacinto 1918 7 15 023 41 0. 125 0. 6.5 W. of Eureka 1922 1 26 931 41 0. 126 0. 6.0 W. of Eureka 1922 1 31 1317 41 0. 125 30.00 7.3 W. of Eureka 1922 3 10 1121 36 0. 120 30.00 6.3 Parkfield 1923 1 22 9 4 40 30.00 124 30.00 7.2 Cape Mendocino 1923 7 23 730 34 0. 117 18.00 6.0 San Bernardino region 1925 6 4 12 2 41 30.00 125 0. 6.0 W. of Eureka 1925 6 29 1442 34 18.00 119 48.00 6.3 Santa Barbara 1926 10 22 1235 36 37.00 122 21.00 6.1 Monterey Bay 1926 10 22 1335 36 33.00 122 11.00 6.1 Monterey Bay 1926 12 10 838 40 45.00 126 0. 6.0 W. of Cape Mendocino 1927 9 18 2 7 37 30.00 118 45.00 6.0 Bishop region 1927 11 4 1350 34 42.00 120 48.00 7.3 SW of Lompoc 1932 6 6 844 40 45.00 124 30.00 6.4 Eureka 1932 12 21 610 38 45.00 118 0. 7.2 Cedar Mountain, Nevada 1933 1 5 651 38 46.00 117 44.00 5.9 Cedar Mountain, Nevada 1933 3 11 154 33 37.00 117 58.00 6.3 Long Beach 1933 6 25 2045 39 4.00 119 20.00 6.1 Yerington, Nevada 1934 1 30 2016 38 18.00 118 24.00 6.3 Excelsior Mountain, Nevada 1934 6 8 447 36 0. 120 30.00 6.0 Parkfield 1934 7 6 2248 41 15.00 125 45.00 6.5 W. of Eureka 1934 12 30 1352 32 15.00 115 30.00 6.5 Laguna Salada, B.C. 1934 12 31 1845 32 0. 114 45.00 7.0 Colorado R. delta 1935 2 24 145 31 59.00 115 12.00 5.3 Colorado R. delta 1936 6 3 915 40 0. 125 30.00 5.9 W. of Cape Mendocino 1937 3 25 1649 33 24.00 116 16.00 6.0 Buck Ridge 1940 2 8 8 5 39 45.00 121 15.00 6.0 Chico 1940 5 19 436 32 44.00 115 30.00 7.1 Imperial Valley 1940 12 7 2216 31 40.00 115 5.00 5.5 Colorado R. delta 1941 2 9 944 40 42.00 125 24.00 6.6 W. of Cape Mendocino 1941 4 9 1708 31 0.00 114 0.00 5.3 Gulf of California 1941 5 13 16 1 40 18.00 126 24.00 6.0 W. of Cape Mendocino 1941 7 1 750 34 22.00 119 35.00 5.9 Carpenteria 1941 9 14 1643 37 34.00 118 44.00 5.8 Tom's Place 1941 9 14 1839 37 34.00 118 44.00 6.0 Tom's Place 1941 10 3 1613 40 24.00 124 48.00 6.4 W. of Cape Mendocino 1942 10 21 1622 33 3.00 116 5. 6.5 Fish Creek Mountains 1942 12 3 944 39 42.00 119 18.00 5.9 N. of Wadsworth, Nevada 1945 5 19 15 7 40 24.00 126 54.00 6.2 W. of Cape Mendocino 1945 9 28 2224 41 54.00 126 42.00 6.0 W. of Crescent City 1946 3 15 1349 35 44.00 118 3.00 6.3 Walker Pass 1947 4 10 1558 34 59.00 116 33.00 6.4 Manix 1948 12 4 2343 33 56.00 116 23.00 6.5 Desert Hot Springs 1948 12 29 1253 39 33.00 120 5.00 6.0 Verdi, Nevada 1949 3 25 456 41 18.00 126 0. 6.2 W. of Eureka 1949 5 2 1125 34 1. 115 41.00 5.9 Pinto Mountain 1951 10 8 410 40 15.00 124 30.00 6.0 W. Of Cape Mendocino 1951 12 26 046 32 48.00 118 18.00 5.9 San Clemente Island 1952 7 21 1152 35 0. 119 1.00 7.7 Kern County earthquake 1952 7 21 12 5 35 0. 119 0. 6.4 Kern County 1952 7 23 038 35 22.00 118 35.00 6.1 Kern County 1952 7 29 7 3 35 23.00 118 51.00 6.1 Bakersfield 1952 11 22 746 35 44.00 121 12.00 6.0 Bryson 1954 1 12 2333 35 0. 119 1.00 5.9 W. of Wheeler Ridge 1954 3 19 954 33 17.00 116 11.00 6.2 Arroyo Salada 1954 7 6 1113 39 25.00 118 32.00 6.6 Rainbow Mountain, Nevada 1954 7 6 22 7 39 18.00 118 30.00 6.4 Rainbow Mountain, Nevada 1954 8 24 551 39 35.00 118 27.00 6.8 Stillwater, Nevada 1954 8 31 2220 39 30.00 118 30.00 6.3 Stillwater, Nevada 1954 10 24 944 31 30.00 116 0. 6.0 W. of Santo Tomas, B.C. 1954 11 12 1226 31 30.00 116 0. 6.3 W. of Santo Tomas, B.C. 1954 11 25 1116 40 16.00 125 38.00 6.5 W. of Cape Mendocino 1954 12 16 11 7 39 19.00 118 12.00 7.1 Fairview Peak, Nevada 1954 12 16 1111 39 30.00 118 0. 6.8 Dixie Valley, Nevada 1954 12 21 1956 40 56.00 123 47.00 6.6 E. of Arcata 1956 2 9 1432 31 45.00 115 55.00 6.8 San Miguel, B.C. 1956 2 9 1524 31 45.00 115 55.00 6.1 San Miguel, B.C. 1956 2 14 1833 31 30.00 115 30.00 6.3 San Miguel, B.C. 1956 2 15 120 31 30.00 115 30.00 6.4 San Miguel, B.C. 1956 10 11 1648 40 40.00 125 46.00 6.0 W. of Cape Mendocino 1956 12 13 1315 31 0. 115 0. 6.0 W. shore, Gulf of California 1959 3 23 710 39 36.00 118 1.00 6.3 Dixie Valley, Nevada 1959 6 23 1435 39 5.00 118 49.00 6.1 Schurz, Nevada 1960 8 9 739 40 19.00 127 4.00 6.2 W. of Cape Mendocino 1966 6 28 426 36 0. 120 30.00 6.0 Parkfield 1966 8 7 1736 31 48.00 114 30.00 6.3 Gulf of California 1966 9 12 1641 39 25.00 120 9.00 6.0 Truckee 1968 4 9 228 33 11.00 116 8.00 6.5 Borrego Mountain 1968 6 26 142 40 14.00 124 16.00 5.4 Punta Gorda 1971 2 9 14 0 34 25.00 118 24.00 6.5 San Fernando 1973 2 21 1445 34 4.00 119 2.00 5.2 Point Mugu 1976 11 26 1119 41 18.00 125 42.00 6.3 W. of Orick 1979 8 6 17 5 37 7.00 121 31.00 5.7 Coyote Lake 1979 10 15 2316 32 36.00 115 18.00 6.5 Imperial Valley 1980 01 24 1900 37 50.00 121 47.00 5.8 Livermore 1980 5 25 1633 37 36.00 118 50.00 6.1 Mammoth Lakes 1980 5 25 1649 37 39.00 118 54.00 5.9 Mammoth Lakes 1980 5 25 1944 37 33.00 118 49.00 5.8 Mammoth Lakes 1980 5 27 1450 37 29.00 118 48.00 6.0 Mammoth Lakes 1980 6 9 328 32 12.00 115 5.00 6.4 Victoria, B.C. 1980 11 8 1027 41 7.00 124 40.00 7.2 W. of Eureka 1981 4 26 1209 33 8.00 115 39.00 6.0 Westmorland 1981 9 4 1550 33 40.00 119 7.00 5.9 N. of Santa Barbara Island 1981 9 30 1153 37 35.00 118 52.00 5.8 Mammoth Lakes 1983 5 2 2342 36 14.00 120 19.00 6.5 Coalinga 1983 7 22 239 36 14.00 120 25.00 5.7 Coalinga 1984 4 24 2115 37 19.00 121 39.00 6.1 Morgan Hill 1984 9 10 314 40 23.00 127 9.00 6.7 Mendocino Fracture Zone 1984 11 23 18 8 37 27.00 118 36.00 5.7 Round Valley 1985 8 4 12 1 36 8.00 120 10.00 5.9 North Kettleman Hills 1986 7 8 920 34 0. 116 36.00 6.0 North Palm Springs 1986 7 20 1429 37 34.00 118 26.00 5.6 Chalfant Valley 1986 7 21 1442 37 32.00 118 26.00 6.2 Chalfant Valley 1986 7 31 722 37 28.00 118 22.00 5.2 Chalfant Valley 1987 10 1 1442 34 3.00 118 5.00 5.8 Whittier Narrows 1987 11 24 153 33 4.00 115 47.00 6.2 Elmore Ranch fault 1987 11 24 1316 33 1.00 115 51.00 6.6 Superstition Hills 1989 10 18 0004 37 2.19 121 52.98 7.1 Loma Prieta 1991 8 16 2226 41 38.00 125 52.00 6.3 W. of Crescent City 1991 8 17 1929 40 17.00 124 14.00 6.2 Punta Gorda 1991 8 17 2217 41 41.00 126 3.00 7.1 W. of Crescent City 1992 4 23 450 33 58.00 116 19.00 6.1 Joshua Tree 1992 4 25 1806 40 20.00 124 14.00 7.2 Cape Mendocino 1992 4 26 741 40 26.00 124 36.00 6.5 Cape Mendocino 1992 4 26 1118 40 23.00 124 35.00 6.6 Cape Mendocino 1992 6 28 1157 34 12.00 116 26.00 7.3 Landers 1992 6 28 1505 34 12.00 116 50.00 6.2 Big Bear 1993 5 17 2320 37 9.00 117 50.00 6.1 Big Pine 1994 1 17 1230 34 13.00 118 32.00 6.7 Northridge 1994 9 01 1515 40 27.00 125 54.00 6.9 Mendocino Fracture Zone 1994 9 12 1223 38 49.00 119 37.00 6.0 Carter's Station, Nevada 1995 2 19 403 40 37.00 125 54.00 6.6 W. of Eureka 1995 9 20 2327 35 46.00 117 38.00 5.5 Ridgecrest 1996 7 24 2016 41 47.04 125 54.66 5.7 W. of Eureka 1997 1 22 717 40 16.32 124 23.64 5.7 Punta Gorda 1999 8 1 1606 37 23.40 117 4.80 5.7 Scotty's Junction, Nevada 1999 10 16 947 34 35.64 116 16.26 7.1 Hector Mine 2000 3 16 1520 40 23.16 125 16.74 5.9 Mendocino Fracture Zone 2003 12 22 1916 35 41.98 121 5.84 6.5 San Simeon 2004 9 28 1715 35 48.90 120 22.44 6.0 Parkfield
