Earthquakes in California

Latest earthquakes in California, United States: 28 in the last 24 hours, 1256 in the last 30 days. Updated Nov 10, 2026 00:18 UTC.

California sits on the boundary between the Pacific and North American plates, which slide past each other at roughly 5 centimeters (2 inches) a year. That motion is taken up by the San Andreas Fault and dozens of related faults, from the Hayward Fault under the Bay Area to hidden thrust faults beneath Los Angeles. Most California earthquakes are shallow, which is why even moderate events can be felt widely. The largest earthquake in the USGS catalog for the state is the magnitude 7.9 San Francisco earthquake of April 18, 1906, which ruptured about 480 km of the San Andreas and was followed by fires that destroyed much of the city. More recent landmarks include the magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, the magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquake in 1994 and the magnitude 7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake of July 6, 2019. The list below shows what has been recorded in California during the last 30 days.