California earthquakes

M2.9 earthquake 5 km S of Gilroy, California

A magnitude 2.9 earthquake struck 5 km S of Gilroy, California on Sat, Feb 17, 1979, 5:38 PM PST (01:38 UTC), 7 km (4 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M3.6 15 km ESE of Tres Pinos, California. This one was a foreshock.

Gilroy forecastMore in California

Map

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

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The earthquake

Magnitude
2.9 (md), micro
Local time
UTC
1979-02-18 01:38:28 UTC
Depth
6.9 km (4.3 mi), shallow
Epicenter
36.957° N, 121.569° 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 0.2 km horizontally, 0.5 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty
±0.10
Depth from
From location
Station coverage gap
30°
Stations used
62

Nearest places

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

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 119 in the 60 days after this one and 72 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 2.58 km NNE of Morgan Hill, California · 17391 days ago · 5 km deep · 28 km away
  2. 2.75 km SW of Gilroy, California · 17391 days ago · 4 km deep · 4 km away
  3. 2.14 km SW of Ridgemark, California · 17391 days ago · 9 km deep · 24 km away
  4. 2.56 km ESE of Fremont, California · 17391 days ago · 7 km deep · 71 km away
  5. 1.523 km NE of Soledad, California · 17390 days ago · 9 km deep · 58 km away
  6. 1.89 km NNW of Hollister, California · 17389 days ago · 7 km deep · 10 km away
  7. 1.58 km NNE of Milpitas, California · 17389 days ago · 3 km deep · 66 km away
  8. 1.824 km NE of Soledad, California · 17389 days ago · 7 km deep · 59 km away
  9. 1.812 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 17388 days ago · 2 km deep · 39 km away
  10. 3.512 km E of Blackhawk, California · 17388 days ago · 9 km deep · 98 km away
  11. 1.824 km NE of Soledad, California · 17388 days ago · 9 km deep · 59 km away
  12. 2.024 km NE of Soledad, California · 17388 days ago · 9 km deep · 59 km away
  13. 1.924 km NE of Soledad, California · 17388 days ago · 9 km deep · 59 km away
  14. 3.0Northern California · 17388 days ago · 15 km deep · 100 km away
  15. 2.4Central California · 17387 days ago · 4 km deep · 39 km away
  16. 1.624 km ENE of Greenfield, California · 17387 days ago · 5 km deep · 76 km away
  17. 1.820 km W of Volta, California · 17386 days ago · 3 km deep · 40 km away
  18. 2.121 km NE of Soledad, California · 17385 days ago · 8 km deep · 61 km away
  19. 1.77 km ESE of Sunol, California · 17385 days ago · 10 km deep · 71 km away
  20. 1.93 km S of Hollister, California · 17385 days ago · 7 km deep · 21 km away
  21. 1.521 km NE of Soledad, California · 17384 days ago · 7 km deep · 59 km away
  22. 1.517 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 17384 days ago · 5 km deep · 45 km away
  23. 1.75 km NE of Lexington Hills, California · 17382 days ago · 9 km deep · 41 km away
  24. 1.63 km S of Hollister, California · 17381 days ago · 7 km deep · 21 km away
  25. 1.8Central California · 17380 days ago · 7 km deep · 54 km away
  26. 2.221 km NE of Soledad, California · 17380 days ago · 6 km deep · 54 km away
  27. 1.821 km NE of Soledad, California · 17380 days ago · 6 km deep · 53 km away
  28. 1.924 km NE of Greenfield, California · 17379 days ago · 5 km deep · 69 km away
  29. 2.225 km SE of Tres Pinos, California · 17378 days ago · 12 km deep · 55 km away
  30. 1.96 km SE of Tres Pinos, California · 17377 days ago · 10 km deep · 36 km away
  31. 2.128 km SW of South Dos Palos, California · 17377 days ago · 3 km deep · 64 km away
  32. 1.723 km NNE of San Lucas, California · 17376 days ago · 3 km deep · 93 km away
  33. 2.913 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 17376 days ago · 2 km deep · 41 km away
  34. 2.923 km WSW of Three Rocks, California · 17376 days ago · 8 km deep · 100 km away
  35. 2.121 km NNE of Soledad, California · 17376 days ago · 8 km deep · 51 km away
  36. 2.57 km N of Interlaken, California · 17376 days ago · 9 km deep · 15 km away
  37. 1.615 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 17374 days ago · 3 km deep · 42 km away
  38. 2.124 km NE of Soledad, California · 17374 days ago · 8 km deep · 59 km away
  39. 1.630 km SW of South Dos Palos, California · 17374 days ago · 5 km deep · 65 km away
  40. 2.18 km SE of Seven Trees, California · 17372 days ago · 3 km deep · 36 km away
  41. 1.828 km NE of Soledad, California · 17371 days ago · 7 km deep · 57 km away
  42. 2.722 km ENE of Soledad, California · 17371 days ago · 4 km deep · 64 km away
  43. 1.923 km NE of Soledad, California · 17370 days ago · 9 km deep · 58 km away
  44. 1.65 km SSW of Tres Pinos, California · 17370 days ago · 4 km deep · 30 km away
  45. 2.05 km SSW of Tres Pinos, California · 17370 days ago · 4 km deep · 30 km away
  46. 1.724 km NE of Soledad, California · 17369 days ago · 9 km deep · 59 km away
  47. 3.214 km SE of Livermore, California · 17369 days ago · 8 km deep · 70 km away
  48. 1.79 km S of Pescadero, California · 17369 days ago · 12 km deep · 76 km away
  49. 2.736 km ENE of Greenfield, California · 17369 days ago · 16 km deep · 78 km away
  50. 2.521 km NE of Soledad, California · 17368 days ago · 6 km deep · 57 km away
  51. 2.414 km SE of Livermore, California · 17368 days ago · 7 km deep · 70 km away
  52. 2.024 km ENE of Soledad, California · 17368 days ago · 8 km deep · 64 km away
  53. 1.724 km ENE of Soledad, California · 17368 days ago · 8 km deep · 64 km away
  54. 1.6Central California · 17367 days ago · 7 km deep · 10 km away
  55. 2.016 km SSE of Diablo Grande, California · 17367 days ago · 2 km deep · 45 km away
  56. 1.621 km NE of Soledad, California · 17366 days ago · 3 km deep · 57 km away
  57. 2.321 km NE of Soledad, California · 17366 days ago · 6 km deep · 57 km away
  58. 3.230 km SE of Tres Pinos, California · 17366 days ago · 10 km deep · 59 km away
  59. 3.230 km NE of Soledad, California · 17366 days ago · 21 km deep · 62 km away
  60. 1.917 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 17365 days ago · 5 km deep · 44 km away

The first 60 of 119.

Before

  1. 1.823 km NE of Soledad, California · 17392 days ago · 9 km deep · 58 km away
  2. 2.015 km SSW of Santa Cruz, California · 17392 days ago · 5 km deep · 50 km away
  3. 1.923 km NE of Soledad, California · 17392 days ago · 9 km deep · 58 km away
  4. 1.78 km ENE of Morgan Hill, California · 17392 days ago · 3 km deep · 24 km away
  5. 1.66 km SE of Tres Pinos, California · 17392 days ago · 10 km deep · 35 km away
  6. 2.01 km S of Milpitas, California · 17393 days ago · 2 km deep · 59 km away
  7. 2.116 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 17393 days ago · 5 km deep · 44 km away
  8. 1.616 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 17393 days ago · 5 km deep · 44 km away
  9. 3.017 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 17393 days ago · 5 km deep · 44 km away
  10. 2.511 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 17393 days ago · 4 km deep · 38 km away
  11. 1.924 km NE of Soledad, California · 17394 days ago · 9 km deep · 59 km away
  12. 2.07 km E of Gilroy, California · 17394 days ago · 4 km deep · 10 km away
  13. 2.07 km E of Gilroy, California · 17394 days ago · 5 km deep · 10 km away
  14. 1.96 km SSW of Livermore, California · 17394 days ago · 6 km deep · 78 km away
  15. 1.75 km S of Gilroy, California · 17395 days ago · 6 km deep · 0 km away
  16. 1.521 km NE of Soledad, California · 17395 days ago · 8 km deep · 57 km away
  17. 1.811 km ESE of East Foothills, California · 17395 days ago · 8 km deep · 44 km away
  18. 1.823 km NE of Soledad, California · 17396 days ago · 9 km deep · 59 km away
  19. 1.624 km NE of Soledad, California · 17396 days ago · 9 km deep · 59 km away
  20. 3.523 km NE of Soledad, California · 17396 days ago · 9 km deep · 58 km away

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event nc1044707. Read Wed, Sep 30, 2026, 10:19 AM UTC.