California's Seismic History: A Tale of Earthquakes

Early Records of Seismic Activity

The earliest known earthquake in California was documented in 1769 by Spanish explorers and Catholic missionaries.

Notable Earthquakes in California's History

Numerous earthquakes of moderate or major intensity have occurred in California throughout history, including the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the 1971 San Fernando earthquake.

Geographic Distribution of Earthquakes

The major earthquakes that affected California since the turn of the 20th century were concentrated in several regions, including the San Andreas Fault zone and the Los Angeles Basin.

Catalogs of Seismic Events

Catalogs of southern California earthquake events recorded since 1932 are available, with events marked by color to indicate their magnitude.

Frequency of Earthquakes

While over 100 earthquakes occur in California each day, most are small and do not cause significant damage. However, larger earthquakes do occur, as evidenced by the notable events listed in this article.