100 Largest California Earthquakes (1796-2004)

Tuesday’s earthquake, a 5.4, fell below the 200 biggest California quakes on record.

July 29, 2008 10:34 AM PT

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Rank	Year	Location	Magnitude
1	1857	Great Fort Tejon earthquake	8.25
2	1906	Great 1906 earthquake	8.25
3	1952	Kern County earthquake	7.7
4	1872	Owens Valley	7.6
5	1915	Pleasant Valley, Nevada	7.3
6	1922	W. of Eureka	7.3
7	1927	SW of Lompoc	7.3
8	1992	Landers	7.3
9	1923	Cape Mendocino	7.2
10	1932	Cedar Mountain, Nevada	7.2
11	1980	W. of Eureka	7.2
12	1992	Cape Mendocino	7.2
13	1915	Volcano Lake, B.C.	7.1
14	1940	Imperial Valley	7.1
15	1954	Fairview Peak, Nevada	7.1
16	1989	Loma Prieta	7.1
17	1991	W. of Crescent City	7.1
18	1999	Hector Mine	7.1
19	1812	Wrightwood	7
20	1812	Santa Barbara Channel	7
21	138	San Francisco Peninsula	7
22	1868	Hayward fault	7
23	1892	Laguna Salada,	7
24	1899	W. of Eureka	7
25	1934	Colorado R. delta	7
26	1918	San Jacinto	6.9
27	1994	Mendocino Fractur	6.9
28	1954	Stillwater, Nevada	6.8
29	1954	Dixie Valley, Nevada	6.8
30	1956	San Miguel, B.C.	6.8
31	1836	Hayward Valley	6.75
32	1872	Owens Valley	6.75
33	1872	Owens Valley	6.75
34	1873	Crescent City	6.75
35	1984	Mendocino Fracture Zone	6.7
36	1994	Northridge	6.7
37	1903	Colorado R. delta region	6.6
38	1910	W. of Crescent City	6.6
39	1941	W. of Cape Mendocino	6.6
40	1954	Rainbow Mountain, Nevada	6.6
41	1954	E. of Arcata	6.6
42	1987	Superstition Hills	6.6
43	1992	Cape Mendocino	6.6
44	1995	W. of Eureka	6.6
45	1800	San Diego region	6.5
46	1852	Volcano Lake, B.C.	6.5
47	1860	Carson City, Nevada region	6.5
48	1865	S. Santa Cruz Mountains	6.5
49	1887	Carson City, Neveda region	6.5
50	1890	San Jacinto or	6.5
51	1892	Vacaville	6.5
52	1892	San Jacinto or	6.5
53	1898	Mare Island	6.5
54	1898	Mendocino	6.5
55	1911	Calaveras fault	6.5
56	1915	W. of Eureka	6.5
57	1918	W. of Eureka	6.5
58	1934	W. of Eureka	6.5
59	1934	Laguna Salada, B.C.	6.5
60	1942	Fish Creek Mountains	6.5
61	1948	Desert Hot Springs	6.5
62	1954	W. of Cape Mendocino	6.5
63	1968	Borrego Mountain	6.5
64	1971	San Fernando	6.5
65	1979	Imperial Valley	6.5
66	1983	Coalinga	6.5
67	1992	Cape Mendocino	6.5
68	2003	San Simeon	6.5
69	1899	San Jacinto and Hemet	6.4
70	1901	Parkfield	6.4
71	1906	Arcata	6.4
72	1932	Eureka	6.4
73	1941	W. of Cape Mendocino	6.4
74	1947	Manix	6.4
75	1952	Kern County	6.4
76	1954	Rainbow Mountain, Nevada	6.4
77	1956	San Miguel, B.C.	6.4
78	1980	Victoria, B.C.	6.4
79	1922	Parkfield	6.3
80	1925	Santa Barbara	6.3
81	1933	Long Beach	6.3
82	1934	Excelsior Mountain, Nevada	6.3
83	1946	Walker Pass	6.3
84	1954	Stillwater, Nevada	6.3
85	1954	W. of Santo Tomas, B.C.	6.3
86	1956	San Miguel, B.C.	6.3
87	1959	Dixie Valley, Nevada	6.3
88	1966	Gulf of California	6.3
89	1976	W. of Orick	6.3
90	1991	W. of Crescent City	6.3
91	1857	W. Nevada or E. Sierra Nevada	6.25
92	1858	San Jose region	6.25
93	1869	Olinghouse fault, Nevada	6.25
94	1872	Owens Valley	6.25
95	1875	Imperial Vly to Color	6.25
96	1883	Santa Barbara Channel	6.25
97	1885	S. Diablo Range	6.25
98	1889	Antioch	6.25
99	1890	Pajaro Gap	6.25
100	1890	Cape Mendocino	6.25

All times listed in Greenwich Mean Time (UTC)

Source: USGS

California Earthquakes

100 Largest California Earthquakes (1796-2004)

Tuesday’s earthquake, a 5.4, fell below the 200 biggest California quakes on record.

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