M3.8 earthquake 96 km WNW of Samoa, California

A magnitude 3.8 earthquake struck 96 km WNW of Samoa, California on Wed, Dec 8, 1976, 6:21 AM PST (14:21 UTC), 5 km (3 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M5.5 140 km WSW of Pistol River, Oregon. This one was a foreshock.

Map

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

Different scales measure different things and differ by a few tenths. The USGS marks one as preferred, and it is the one this page uses.

Mag.	Scale	Computed by	Notes
3.8	ML, local (Richter)	Northern California Seismic System	Preferred · Final · 0 stations
3.9	mb, body-wave	USGS National Earthquake Information Center	Reviewed

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

Reviewed by a seismologist.

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

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 54 in the 60 days after this one and 85 in the 30 days before it.

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event nc1032690 (also filed as usp0000kp5). Read Thu, Oct 1, 2026, 1:53 PM UTC.