California earthquakes

M3.1 earthquake 17km NW of Tehachapi, CA

A magnitude 3.1 earthquake struck 17km NW of Tehachapi, CA on Tue, Oct 31, 1961, 4:17 AM GMT-8 (12:17 UTC), 6 km (4 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M3.3 18km NW of Tehachapi, CA. This one was a foreshock.

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Map

Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.

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The earthquake

Magnitude
3.1 (ml), minor
Local time
UTC
1961-10-31 12:17:53 UTC
Depth
6.0 km (3.7 mi), shallow
Epicenter
35.225° N, 118.602° W
Tsunami flag
No
Status
Reviewed by a seismologist

Did you feel it?

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Location uncertainty
About 1.5 km horizontally, 31.6 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty
±0.19
Depth from
Operator assigned
Station coverage gap
86°
Stations used
9

Nearest places

Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 14 in the 60 days after this one and 4 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 2.917km ENE of Arvin, CA · 23702 days ago · 6 km deep · 7 km away
  2. 3.019km E of Arvin, CA · 23702 days ago · 6 km deep · 2 km away
  3. 3.318km NW of Tehachapi, CA · 23702 days ago · 6 km deep · 2 km away
  4. 3.325km NNE of California City, CA · 23696 days ago · 6 km deep · 63 km away
  5. 5.05km W of Grapevine, CA · 23687 days ago · 5 km deep · 47 km away
  6. 2.35km NNW of Grapevine, CA · 23687 days ago · 5 km deep · 42 km away
  7. 4.312km W of Johannesburg, CA · 23685 days ago · 6 km deep · 78 km away
  8. 3.522km WNW of Inyokern, CA · 23683 days ago · 6 km deep · 77 km away
  9. 2.812km NNE of Grapevine, CA · 23676 days ago · 6 km deep · 33 km away
  10. 3.02km WNW of Grapevine, CA · 23676 days ago · 6 km deep · 44 km away
  11. 3.33km W of Grapevine, CA · 23670 days ago · 3 km deep · 45 km away
  12. 2.42km N of Valencia, CA · 23662 days ago · 6 km deep · 84 km away
  13. 2.510km ESE of Piru, CA · 23662 days ago · 6 km deep · 94 km away
  14. 2.616km WSW of Tehachapi, CA · 23644 days ago · 6 km deep · 17 km away

Before

  1. 2.516km SSE of Little Lake, CA · 23714 days ago · 6 km deep · 97 km away
  2. 3.513km SE of Little Lake, CA · 23714 days ago · 0 km deep · 98 km away
  3. 3.212km S of Arvin, CA · 23723 days ago · 6 km deep · 23 km away
  4. 3.015km WSW of Tehachapi, CA · 23729 days ago · 6 km deep · 14 km away

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event ci3344672. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 4:10 PM UTC.