Latest quake today See all | Mag. 0.9 earthquake 2.1 mi northwest of Lake Elsinore, California, USA - |
Strongest today | Mag. 2.7 Washoe County, Oregon, USA - |
Date and Time | Mag Depth | Nearest Volcano | Location | Details | Map |
Mar 14, 02:52 am (Los Angeles) Mar 14, 09:52 GMT | 0.9 14 km | 2.1 mi northwest of Lake Elsinore, Riverside County, California, USA | Info | ||
Mar 14, 02:39 am (Los Angeles) Mar 14, 09:39 GMT | 1.4 9 km | 6.8 mi northeast of Calexico, Imperial County, California, USA | Info | ||
Mar 14, 02:08 am (Los Angeles) Mar 14, 09:08 GMT | 1.3 10.1 km | San Benito County, 7.7 mi southeast of Gilroy, Santa Clara County, California, USA | Info | ||
Mar 14, 02:08 am (Los Angeles) Mar 14, 09:08 GMT | 1.1 2.1 km | 28 mi north of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, USA | Info | ||
Mar 14, 01:22 am (Los Angeles) Mar 14, 08:22 GMT | 0.6 9.8 km | 24 mi southwest of Indian Wells, Riverside County, California, USA | Info | ||
Mar 14, 12:48 am (Los Angeles) Mar 14, 07:48 GMT | 0.9 3.8 km | Imperial County, 31 mi south of Coachella, Riverside County, California, USA | Info | ||
Mar 14, 12:43 am (Los Angeles) Mar 14, 07:43 GMT | 0.3 0.7 km | 25 mi north of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, USA 1 report | Info | ||
Mar 14, 12:40 am (Los Angeles) Mar 14, 07:40 GMT | 0.9 9.2 km | 24 mi southwest of Indian Wells, Riverside County, California, USA | Info | ||
Mar 14, 12:03 am (Los Angeles) Mar 14, 07:03 GMT | 0.8 1.5 km | 28 mi north of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, USA | Info | ||
Mar 14, 12:03 am (Los Angeles) Mar 14, 07:03 GMT | 1.1 1.7 km | 28 mi north of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, USA | Info | ||
Mar 14, 12:02 am (Los Angeles) Mar 14, 07:02 GMT | 0.7 1.9 km | 28 mi north of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, USA | Info |
or | ||
Look up quakes! |
California has a high level of seismic activity. Based on data from the past 10 years and our earthquake archive back to 1900, there are about 42,000 quakes on average per year in or near California. California has had at least 19 quakes above magnitude 7 since 1900, which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently, probably on average approximately every 5 to 10 years.
California has about 10-15 quakes every day. Most of them are too small to be felt by humans, although there is usually one or two that are.
Typically there are 1-2 quakes of magnitudes greater than 3 every day. Quakes of magnitude 4+ occur about once every 5 days on average.
Magnitude 5+ events are about once every 2 months, and strong quakes from magnitude 6+ occur on average once every 4-5 months.
California is located near the boundary between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. In the area of California, it is called a transform boundary, because the movement of the two plates is mostly a side-wise sliding alongside each other. The Pacific Plate is moving northwest relative to the North American plate, at a rate of approx. 33-37 millimeters (1.3-1.5 in) per year on average.
This creates a complex system of very active fault systems, the most prominent being the San Andreas Fault, which runs for roughly 750 mi (1,200 km) through California. However, there are also many other faults including some found directly underneath the State's major cities including L.A. and San Francisco.
The last earthquake in or near California occurred 21 minutes ago and had a magnitude of 0.9:
A light magnitude 0.9 earthquake hit 3.4 km (2.1 mi) away from Lake Elsinore, California, United States, in the early morning of Thursday, Mar 14, 2024 at 2.52 am local time (America/Los Angeles GMT -7). The quake had a very shallow depth of 14.1 km (9 mi) and was too small to be felt by people.
In the past 24 hours, California has had 6 quakes of magnitude 2.0 or above. There were also 110 quakes below magnitude 2.0 which people don't normally feel.
The strongest earthquake in or near California in the past 24 hours had a magnitude of 2.7 and occurred 13 hours ago:
A light magnitude 2.7 earthquake hit 70 km (44 mi) away from Lakeview, Oregon, United States, in the early afternoon of Wednesday, Mar 13, 2024 at 2.42 pm local time (America/Los Angeles GMT -7). The quake had a very shallow depth of 3.2 km (2 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so).
Date and Time | Mag Depth | ###DIST_LABEL### | Location | Details | Map |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dec 20, 2022 10:34 GMT Dec 20, 2022 02:34 am (Los Angeles) | 6.4 18 km | 3 km (1.9 mi) to the NW | North Pacific Ocean, 23 mi southwest of Eureka, Humboldt County, California, USA 327 reports | Info | |
Dec 20, 2021 20:10 GMT Dec 20, 2021 12:10 pm (GMT -8) | 6.2 15 km | 30 km (19 mi) to the NW | North Pacific Ocean, 45 mi southwest of Eureka, Humboldt County, California, USA 525 reports | Info | |
Jul 8, 2021 22:49 GMT Jul 8, 2021 03:49 pm (Los Angeles) | 6.0 7.5 km | Antelope Valley, CA 3481 reports | Info | ||
Jun 24, 2020 17:40 GMT Jun 24, 2020 10:40 am (Los Angeles) | 5.8 4.7 km | 12 mi southeast of Lone Pine, Inyo County, California, USA 1544 reports | Info | ||
May 15, 2020 11:03 GMT May 15, 2020 04:03 am (Los Angeles) | 6.5 2.8 km | 58 km (36 mi) to the NE | Esmeralda County, 36 mi west of Tonopah, Nye County, Nevada, USA 1783 reports | Info | |
Jul 6, 2019 03:19 GMT Jul 5, 2019 08:19 pm (Los Angeles) | 7.1 8 km | San Bernardino County, 10.9 mi north of Ridgecrest, Kern County, California, USA 3655 reports | Info | ||
Jul 4, 2019 17:33 GMT Jul 4, 2019 10:33 am (Los Angeles) | 6.4 10.7 km | San Bernardino County, 10.9 mi northeast of Ridgecrest, Kern County, California, USA 2571 reports | Info | ||
Aug 24, 2014 10:20 GMT Aug 24, 2014 03:20 am (Los Angeles) | 6.0 11 km | 5.5 mi south of Napa, Napa County, California, USA 1508 reports | Info | ||
Aug 24, 2014 10:20 GMT Aug 24, 2014 03:20 am (Los Angeles) | 6.0 11 km | 5.5 mi south of Napa, Napa County, California, USA | Info | ||
Mar 10, 2014 05:18 GMT Mar 9, 2014 09:18 pm (GMT -8) | 6.8 17 km | 72 km (45 mi) to the NW | North Pacific Ocean, 51 mi west of Eureka, Humboldt County, California, USA 100 reports | Info | |
Apr 4, 2010 22:40 GMT Apr 4, 2010 03:40 pm (Tijuana) | 7.2 10 km | 72 km (45 mi) to the SE | 41 km south of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico | Info | |
Jun 15, 2005 02:50 GMT Jun 14, 2005 06:50 pm (GMT -8) | 7.2 16 km | 150 km (93 mi) to the NW | North Pacific Ocean, 90 mi southwest of North West Seal Rock Island, Del Norte County, California, USA | Info | |
Oct 16, 1999 09:46 GMT Oct 16, 1999 02:46 am (Los Angeles) | 7.1 14 km | 59 mi east of Victorville, San Bernardino County, California, USA | Info | ||
Jun 28, 1992 11:57 GMT Jun 28, 1992 04:57 am (Los Angeles) | 7.3 -0.1 km | 5.9 mi north of Yucca Valley, San Bernardino County, California, USA | Info | ||
Apr 25, 1992 18:06 GMT Apr 25, 1992 11:06 am (Los Angeles) | 7.2 9.9 km | 32 mi south of Eureka, Humboldt County, California, USA | Info | ||
Aug 17, 1991 22:17 GMT Aug 17, 1991 02:17 pm (GMT -8) | 7.0 1.3 km | 133 km (83 mi) to the NW | North Pacific Ocean, Oregon, 77 mi west of North West Seal Rock Island, Del Norte County, California, USA | Info | |
Nov 8, 1980 10:27 GMT Nov 8, 1980 03:27 am (Los Angeles) | 7.2 19 km | 7 km (4.3 mi) to the NW | North Pacific Ocean, 14 mi northwest of McKinleyville, Humboldt County, California, USA | Info | |
Dec 16, 1954 11:07 GMT Dec 16, 1954 03:07 am (Los Angeles) | 7.3 15 km | 137 km (85 mi) to the NE | 38 mi east of Fallon, Churchill County, Nevada, USA | Info | |
Jul 21, 1952 11:52 GMT Jul 21, 1952 04:52 am (Los Angeles) | 7.5 6 km | 9.8 mi north of Frazier Park, Kern County, California, USA | Info | ||
Jan 31, 1922 13:17 GMT Jan 31, 1922 05:17 am (GMT -8) | 7.3 15 km | 115 km (71 mi) to the NW | North Pacific Ocean, 75 mi west of Eureka, Humboldt County, California, USA | Info | |
Apr 18, 1906 13:12 GMT Apr 18, 1906 06:12 am (Los Angeles) | 7.9 12 km | 3 km (1.9 mi) to the W | North Pacific Ocean, 8.7 mi southwest of White Island, San Francisco County, California, USA | Info |