California earthquakes

M2.3 earthquake 8km SE of Goleta, CA

A magnitude 2.3 earthquake struck 8km SE of Goleta, CA on Tue, Jan 16, 1979, 5:25 AM PST (13:25 UTC), 10 km (6 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M2.3 30km NW of San Miguel Is., 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
2.3 (mh), micro
Local time
UTC
1979-01-16 13:25:00 UTC
Depth
9.8 km (6.1 mi), shallow
Epicenter
34.380° N, 119.779° 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 0.7 km horizontally, 0.8 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty
±0.20
Depth from
From location
Station coverage gap
127°
Stations used
18

Nearest places

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

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 45 in the 60 days after this one and 20 in the 30 days before it.

After

Before

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event ci3345595. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 9:01 PM UTC.