California earthquakes

M1.7 earthquake 16 km ENE of Big Sur, California

A magnitude 1.7 earthquake struck 16 km ENE of Big Sur, California on Sun, Jul 5, 1981, 10:32 AM PDT (17:32 UTC), 8 km (5 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M1.8 22 km NE of Soledad, California. 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
1.7 (md), micro
Local time
UTC
1981-07-05 17:32:24 UTC
Depth
8.5 km (5.3 mi), shallow
Epicenter
36.324° N, 121.635° 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 0.5 km horizontally, 3.9 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty
±0.18
Depth from
From location
Station coverage gap
91°
Stations used
19

Nearest places

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

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 149 in the 60 days after this one and 39 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 1.822 km NE of Soledad, California · 16515 days ago · 3 km deep · 52 km away
  2. 1.823 km NE of Soledad, California · 16514 days ago · 4 km deep · 53 km away
  3. 1.69 km NE of San Martin, California · 16514 days ago · 7 km deep · 93 km away
  4. 1.526 km SE of Tres Pinos, California · 16514 days ago · 7 km deep · 57 km away
  5. 2.422 km NE of Soledad, California · 16514 days ago · 2 km deep · 52 km away
  6. 1.621 km NE of Soledad, California · 16514 days ago · 8 km deep · 51 km away
  7. 2.023 km ENE of Soledad, California · 16513 days ago · 4 km deep · 53 km away
  8. 1.623 km ENE of San Lucas, California · 16513 days ago · 4 km deep · 75 km away
  9. 1.724 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16513 days ago · 5 km deep · 56 km away
  10. 1.623 km NW of Parkfield, California · 16512 days ago · 3 km deep · 97 km away
  11. 2.122 km NE of Soledad, California · 16512 days ago · 2 km deep · 52 km away
  12. 1.524 km NE of King City, California · 16510 days ago · 3 km deep · 62 km away
  13. 2.83 km NNW of Hollister, California · 16509 days ago · 8 km deep · 66 km away
  14. 1.721 km W of Three Rocks, California · 16509 days ago · 5 km deep · 93 km away
  15. 2.65 km S of Gilroy, California · 16508 days ago · 4 km deep · 71 km away
  16. 2.76 km ESE of Prunedale, California · 16508 days ago · 9 km deep · 49 km away
  17. 1.67 km ESE of Prunedale, California · 16508 days ago · 8 km deep · 49 km away
  18. 1.624 km ENE of San Ardo, California · 16508 days ago · 7 km deep · 91 km away
  19. 1.87 km WSW of San Ardo, California · 16507 days ago · 12 km deep · 69 km away
  20. 2.829 km WNW of San Simeon, California · 16507 days ago · 6 km deep · 62 km away
  21. 1.97 km NE of San Juan Bautista, California · 16507 days ago · 8 km deep · 65 km away
  22. 2.524 km NE of Soledad, California · 16507 days ago · 10 km deep · 53 km away
  23. 3.020 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 16506 days ago · 6 km deep · 49 km away
  24. 2.120 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 16506 days ago · 6 km deep · 49 km away
  25. 1.69 km NE of San Martin, California · 16505 days ago · 7 km deep · 91 km away
  26. 1.612 km NNE of Cambria, California · 16505 days ago · 6 km deep · 92 km away
  27. 1.84 km N of Hollister, California · 16505 days ago · 8 km deep · 66 km away
  28. 2.87 km WSW of San Ardo, California · 16504 days ago · 15 km deep · 69 km away
  29. 1.732 km W of Lockwood, California · 16504 days ago · 4 km deep · 50 km away
  30. 1.62 km ESE of San Ardo, California · 16504 days ago · 8 km deep · 76 km away
  31. 1.923 km NE of San Ardo, California · 16504 days ago · 7 km deep · 80 km away
  32. 1.67 km SSW of San Lucas, California · 16504 days ago · 10 km deep · 60 km away
  33. 2.1Central California · 16504 days ago · 6 km deep · 49 km away
  34. 1.831 km WNW of Coalinga, California · 16503 days ago · 16 km deep · 87 km away
  35. 3.02 km SSW of San Juan Bautista, California · 16503 days ago · 5 km deep · 56 km away
  36. 2.52 km S of San Juan Bautista, California · 16502 days ago · 4 km deep · 56 km away
  37. 2.023 km NNE of San Lucas, California · 16502 days ago · 7 km deep · 67 km away
  38. 1.822 km NE of San Ardo, CA · 16501 days ago · 1 km deep · 83 km away
  39. 1.723 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16501 days ago · 5 km deep · 55 km away
  40. 1.68 km NE of Gilroy, California · 16501 days ago · 8 km deep · 83 km away
  41. 2.27 km SSE of San Juan Bautista, California · 16501 days ago · 8 km deep · 52 km away
  42. 1.69 km NE of San Martin, California · 16501 days ago · 9 km deep · 91 km away
  43. 2.123 km NE of San Ardo, California · 16500 days ago · 7 km deep · 80 km away
  44. 1.89 km NNW of Hollister, California · 16499 days ago · 4 km deep · 69 km away
  45. 1.824 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16498 days ago · 7 km deep · 55 km away
  46. 1.525 km NW of San Simeon, California · 16496 days ago · 10 km deep · 62 km away
  47. 1.522 km NE of San Lucas, California · 16495 days ago · 6 km deep · 72 km away
  48. 1.99 km NE of Gilroy, California · 16495 days ago · 9 km deep · 84 km away
  49. 3.031 km ENE of Soledad, California · 16495 days ago · 9 km deep · 61 km away
  50. 1.730 km ENE of Soledad, California · 16495 days ago · 7 km deep · 60 km away
  51. 1.58 km SSW of Ridgemark, California · 16495 days ago · 6 km deep · 50 km away
  52. 1.611 km S of Oak Shores, California · 16493 days ago · 4 km deep · 93 km away
  53. 1.716 km S of Davenport, California · 16493 days ago · 4 km deep · 78 km away
  54. 1.811 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 16492 days ago · 4 km deep · 49 km away
  55. 2.12 km ESE of Aromas, California · 16492 days ago · 7 km deep · 62 km away
  56. 1.63 km ESE of Aromas, California · 16492 days ago · 7 km deep · 62 km away
  57. 2.121 km NE of Soledad, California · 16492 days ago · 6 km deep · 50 km away
  58. 1.58 km NE of San Martin, California · 16492 days ago · 8 km deep · 91 km away
  59. 1.530 km ENE of Soledad, California · 16492 days ago · 8 km deep · 60 km away
  60. 1.713 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 16491 days ago · 5 km deep · 50 km away

The first 60 of 149.

Before

  1. 1.69 km NE of Gilroy, California · 16515 days ago · 9 km deep · 84 km away
  2. 2.12 km WSW of San Juan Bautista, California · 16516 days ago · 7 km deep · 57 km away
  3. 2.48 km SSW of Tres Pinos, California · 16516 days ago · 3 km deep · 50 km away
  4. 2.010 km ESE of Gilroy, California · 16516 days ago · 4 km deep · 73 km away
  5. 1.721 km NW of San Simeon, California · 16516 days ago · 8 km deep · 65 km away
  6. 1.731 km NE of Soledad, California · 16517 days ago · 8 km deep · 61 km away
  7. 1.714 km S of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California · 16517 days ago · 19 km deep · 29 km away
  8. 1.723 km ENE of King City, California · 16517 days ago · 4 km deep · 66 km away
  9. 2.128 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16517 days ago · 9 km deep · 59 km away
  10. 1.6Near the coast of Central California · 16517 days ago · 5 km deep · 68 km away
  11. 1.525 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16518 days ago · 1 km deep · 58 km away
  12. 2.125 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16518 days ago · 2 km deep · 58 km away
  13. 2.722 km NE of Soledad, California · 16519 days ago · 4 km deep · 50 km away
  14. 1.621 km NE of Soledad, California · 16519 days ago · 7 km deep · 49 km away
  15. 1.623 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16519 days ago · 6 km deep · 56 km away
  16. 2.522 km NNE of Soledad, California · 16520 days ago · 6 km deep · 49 km away
  17. 1.98 km SSW of La Selva Beach, California · 16521 days ago · 7 km deep · 66 km away
  18. 2.02 km WSW of San Juan Bautista, California · 16522 days ago · 7 km deep · 58 km away
  19. 1.528 km NE of Soledad, California · 16522 days ago · 11 km deep · 57 km away
  20. 1.638 km W of Three Rocks, California · 16523 days ago · 8 km deep · 77 km away

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event nc1065213. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 9:39 PM UTC.