California earthquakes

M1.7 earthquake 9 km N of Ruth, California

A magnitude 1.7 earthquake struck 9 km N of Ruth, California on Thu, Oct 12, 1978, 6:27 AM PDT (13:27 UTC), 19 km (12 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M3.8 24 km NE of Potter Valley, California. This one was a foreshock.

Hayfork forecastMore in California

Map

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

Open the live map with earthquakes

The earthquake

Magnitude
1.7 (Md, duration), micro
Magnitude from
Northern California Seismic System
Local time
UTC
1978-10-12 13:27:13 UTC
Depth
18.9 km (11.7 mi), shallow
Epicenter
40.358° N, 123.308° 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 1.7 km horizontally, 1.0 km in depth
Depth from
From location
Station coverage gap
297°, poorly surrounded by stations
Stations used
4

Nearest places

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

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 95 in the 60 days after this one and 68 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 2.25 km WSW of Hyampom, California · 17521 days ago · 24 km deep · 32 km away
  2. 2.712 km E of Hayfork, California · 17521 days ago · 4 km deep · 31 km away
  3. 2.06 km WSW of Samoa, California · 17521 days ago · 24 km deep · 94 km away
  4. 1.612 km S of Ferndale, California · 17520 days ago · 23 km deep · 82 km away
  5. 1.6Northern California · 17519 days ago · 32 km deep · 25 km away
  6. 2.8near the coast of Northern California · 17519 days ago · 22 km deep · 96 km away
  7. 1.923 km SSW of Scotia, California · 17519 days ago · 2 km deep · 76 km away
  8. 1.515 km WSW of Burnt Ranch, California · 17519 days ago · 33 km deep · 52 km away
  9. 2.19 km NNE of Redcrest, California · 17518 days ago · 22 km deep · 54 km away
  10. 1.69 km S of Ferndale, California · 17518 days ago · 18 km deep · 83 km away
  11. 1.64 km NW of McKinleyville, California · 17518 days ago · 20 km deep · 98 km away
  12. 3.718 km SW of Ferndale, California · 17518 days ago · 23 km deep · 97 km away
  13. 2.112 km S of Ruth, California · 17513 days ago · 2 km deep · 22 km away
  14. 2.926 km SSW of Ferndale, California · 17513 days ago · 19 km deep · 95 km away
  15. 2.726 km SSW of Ferndale, California · 17513 days ago · 19 km deep · 95 km away
  16. 1.726 km SSW of Ferndale, California · 17513 days ago · 19 km deep · 95 km away
  17. 1.626 km SW of Ferndale, California · 17513 days ago · 18 km deep · 99 km away
  18. 1.526 km SSW of Ferndale, California · 17512 days ago · 18 km deep · 95 km away
  19. 1.734 km NW of Shelter Cove, California · 17512 days ago · 5 km deep · 94 km away
  20. 1.625 km SSW of Ferndale, California · 17512 days ago · 19 km deep · 95 km away
  21. 2.85 km E of Redcrest, California · 17512 days ago · 21 km deep · 49 km away
  22. 1.6Northern California · 17512 days ago · 17 km deep · 51 km away
  23. 1.614 km WSW of Scotia, California · 17511 days ago · 20 km deep · 81 km away
  24. 1.918 km SW of Ferndale, California · 17511 days ago · 25 km deep · 94 km away
  25. 1.833 km SW of Scotia, California · 17510 days ago · 22 km deep · 93 km away
  26. 1.727 km SW of Scotia, California · 17510 days ago · 7 km deep · 86 km away
  27. 1.68 km S of Ferndale, California · 17509 days ago · 6 km deep · 82 km away
  28. 2.512 km N of Brooktrails, California · 17509 days ago · -1 km deep · 89 km away
  29. 1.726 km SW of Scotia, California · 17507 days ago · 7 km deep · 84 km away
  30. 1.624 km SSW of Ferndale, California · 17505 days ago · 19 km deep · 94 km away
  31. 3.327 km SSW of Ferndale, California · 17505 days ago · 19 km deep · 95 km away
  32. 1.727 km SW of Ferndale, California · 17505 days ago · 23 km deep · 97 km away
  33. 1.99 km NE of Mad River, California · 17504 days ago · 38 km deep · 19 km away
  34. 2.117 km WSW of Scotia, California · 17504 days ago · 19 km deep · 83 km away
  35. 1.624 km SW of Scotia, California · 17503 days ago · 26 km deep · 85 km away
  36. 2.711 km ENE of Cleone, California · 17503 days ago · 12 km deep · 97 km away
  37. 2.513 km WNW of Brooktrails, California · 17503 days ago · 12 km deep · 99 km away
  38. 2.63 km WNW of Ferndale, California · 17503 days ago · 21 km deep · 88 km away
  39. 1.625 km SSW of Ferndale, California · 17500 days ago · 18 km deep · 95 km away
  40. 2.323 km SW of Ferndale, California · 17500 days ago · 18 km deep · 99 km away
  41. 1.614 km WSW of Scotia, California · 17499 days ago · 28 km deep · 80 km away
  42. 2.215 km S of Hayfork, California · 17498 days ago · 21 km deep · 13 km away
  43. 1.78 km NE of Trinity Village, California · 17498 days ago · 22 km deep · 65 km away
  44. 1.816 km WSW of Scotia, California · 17498 days ago · 20 km deep · 83 km away
  45. 2.04 km N of Redcrest, California · 17497 days ago · 21 km deep · 55 km away
  46. 1.69 km S of Ferndale, California · 17496 days ago · 18 km deep · 82 km away
  47. 1.731 km SSW of Ferndale, California · 17496 days ago · 25 km deep · 96 km away
  48. 1.616 km WSW of Scotia, California · 17496 days ago · 19 km deep · 82 km away
  49. 1.632 km SSW of Ferndale, California · 17495 days ago · 10 km deep · 94 km away
  50. 1.54 km WSW of Weott, California · 17495 days ago · 25 km deep · 56 km away
  51. 1.79 km S of Burnt Ranch, California · 17495 days ago · 20 km deep · 42 km away
  52. 1.99 km SW of Scotia, California · 17495 days ago · 23 km deep · 73 km away
  53. 2.326 km NE of Potter Valley, California · 17495 days ago · 14 km deep · 98 km away
  54. 2.019 km SSW of Ferndale, California · 17495 days ago · 32 km deep · 90 km away
  55. 1.62 km WSW of McKinleyville, California · 17494 days ago · 21 km deep · 95 km away
  56. 1.78 km W of Rio Dell, California · 17494 days ago · 20 km deep · 77 km away
  57. 1.626 km SW of Ferndale, California · 17494 days ago · 23 km deep · 98 km away
  58. 1.817 km NNE of Willow Creek, California · 17490 days ago · 21 km deep · 83 km away
  59. 3.824 km NE of Potter Valley, California · 17490 days ago · 18 km deep · 100 km away
  60. 1.827 km NE of Potter Valley, California · 17490 days ago · 15 km deep · 99 km away

The first 60 of 95.

Before

  1. 2.025 km SSW of Ferndale, California · 17522 days ago · 19 km deep · 92 km away
  2. 1.511 km SSW of Ferndale, California · 17524 days ago · 26 km deep · 88 km away
  3. 1.811 km NE of Brooktrails, California · 17525 days ago · 5 km deep · 95 km away
  4. 1.518 km WSW of Ferndale, California · 17525 days ago · 20 km deep · 98 km away
  5. 1.913 km SSW of Willow Creek, California · 17526 days ago · 8 km deep · 63 km away
  6. 1.822 km SW of Ferndale, California · 17526 days ago · 26 km deep · 98 km away
  7. 1.523 km SW of Ferndale, California · 17527 days ago · 22 km deep · 98 km away
  8. 1.716 km SW of Ferndale, California · 17527 days ago · 22 km deep · 95 km away
  9. 2.118 km SW of Ferndale, California · 17527 days ago · 23 km deep · 97 km away
  10. 1.917 km SW of Ferndale, California · 17527 days ago · 24 km deep · 97 km away
  11. 3.916 km SW of Ferndale, California · 17527 days ago · 23 km deep · 96 km away
  12. 1.615 km WSW of Ferndale, California · 17527 days ago · 23 km deep · 96 km away
  13. 1.615 km WSW of Ferndale, California · 17527 days ago · 23 km deep · 96 km away
  14. 2.817 km SW of Ferndale, California · 17527 days ago · 21 km deep · 96 km away
  15. 1.811 km SW of Ferndale, California · 17527 days ago · 23 km deep · 92 km away
  16. 1.615 km SW of Scotia, California · 17527 days ago · 27 km deep · 77 km away
  17. 1.78 km NNW of Willow Creek, California · 17527 days ago · 4 km deep · 78 km away
  18. 1.616 km WSW of Ferndale, California · 17527 days ago · 23 km deep · 97 km away
  19. 1.514 km SW of Scotia, California · 17527 days ago · 21 km deep · 79 km away
  20. 2.419 km WSW of Ferndale, California · 17527 days ago · 24 km deep · 99 km away

Earthquakes todayCalifornia earthquakesLive radar here

Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event nc1042785. Read Thu, Oct 1, 2026, 6:36 PM UTC.