Hundreds of earthquakes struck the Brawley area of Imperial County, California, from May 9 to 11, 2026, including the strongest reported M4.7 event at 07:10 UTC on May 10. The swarm caused infrastructure damage, including water line breaks and road damage.
Over 40 earthquakes were recorded along the Calaveras fault southeast of San Ramon, California, between November 9 and 10, 2025. The largest event, M3.8, occurred at 09:38 LT (17:38 UTC) on November 9 at a depth of 9.2 km (5.7 miles). Geological and seismic studies show that the Calaveras fault is capable of generating an event in the M6.5 to M7.0 range over long-term timescales.
A M4.0 earthquake struck The Geysers geothermal field in northern California at 12:48 UTC (05:48 LT) on August 14, 2025, followed by more than 85 aftershocks through the evening.
M5.2 earthquake that struck San Diego County near Julian on April 14, 2025, occurred along the Elsinore Fault Zone, a major strike-slip fault in Southern California capable of producing earthquakes up to magnitude 7.8. The fault runs near densely populated areas including Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Riverside, and its long period of limited activity may indicate an increased potential for a significant seismic event, according to recent research.
A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.2 struck near Julian, San Diego County, at 17:08 UTC (10:08 local time) on April 14, 2025, shaking large areas of Southern California. The agency reports a depth of 14.3 km (9 miles).
A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M3.9 hit North Hollywood, California, at 06:13 UTC on March 3, 2025 (22:13 PST, March 2). The agency is reporting a depth of 15.3 km (9.5 miles).
A very strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.0 hit near the coast of Northern California at 18:44 UTC (10:44 LT) on December 5, 2024. The agency is reporting a shallow depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). A Tsunami Warning was issued for parts of California and Oregon along the U.S. West Coast.
A series of small earthquakes, including one with a magnitude of 3.6, struck off the coast of Southern California near Catalina Island on October 20 and 21, 2024.
Since 1932, Southern California has averaged 10 – 12 M4 earthquakes annually. However, in the last 20 years, this number dropped to around 5 per year. In 2024, with 13 M4s already recorded, the region is seeing a return to its long-term average. Southern California is experiencing a significant increase in seismic activity this year,…
A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M4.4 hit near Highland Park and South Pasadena, Los Angeles, California at 19:20 UTC (12:20 local time) on August 12, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 11 km (6.8 miles).
