California earthquakes

M2.6 earthquake 5 km S of Gilroy, California

A magnitude 2.6 earthquake struck 5 km S of Gilroy, California on Sun, Jul 12, 1981, 6:53 AM PDT (13:53 UTC), 4 km (3 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M2.7 6 km ESE of Prunedale, 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
2.6 (md), micro
Local time
UTC
1981-07-12 13:53:58 UTC
Depth
4.1 km (2.5 mi), shallow
Epicenter
36.959° N, 121.579° 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, 0.3 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty
±0.16
Depth from
From location
Station coverage gap
27°
Stations used
74

Nearest places

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

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 167 in the 60 days after this one and 13 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 2.76 km ESE of Prunedale, California · 16508 days ago · 9 km deep · 22 km away
  2. 1.67 km ESE of Prunedale, California · 16508 days ago · 8 km deep · 22 km away
  3. 2.116 km NE of East Foothills, California · 16507 days ago · 6 km deep · 60 km away
  4. 1.97 km NE of San Juan Bautista, California · 16507 days ago · 8 km deep · 12 km away
  5. 2.524 km NE of Soledad, California · 16507 days ago · 10 km deep · 61 km away
  6. 2.314 km E of Seven Trees, California · 16507 days ago · 3 km deep · 38 km away
  7. 3.020 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 16506 days ago · 6 km deep · 49 km away
  8. 2.120 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 16506 days ago · 6 km deep · 49 km away
  9. 1.711 km ESE of East Foothills, California · 16506 days ago · 7 km deep · 43 km away
  10. 1.69 km NE of San Martin, California · 16505 days ago · 7 km deep · 21 km away
  11. 1.84 km N of Hollister, California · 16505 days ago · 8 km deep · 18 km away
  12. 2.1Central California · 16504 days ago · 6 km deep · 50 km away
  13. 3.02 km SSW of San Juan Bautista, California · 16503 days ago · 5 km deep · 15 km away
  14. 2.52 km S of San Juan Bautista, California · 16503 days ago · 4 km deep · 15 km away
  15. 2.023 km NNE of San Lucas, California · 16502 days ago · 7 km deep · 94 km away
  16. 1.619 km SSE of Livermore, California · 16502 days ago · 2 km deep · 64 km away
  17. 1.723 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16501 days ago · 5 km deep · 73 km away
  18. 1.68 km NE of Gilroy, California · 16501 days ago · 8 km deep · 14 km away
  19. 2.27 km SSE of San Juan Bautista, California · 16501 days ago · 8 km deep · 20 km away
  20. 1.69 km NE of San Martin, California · 16501 days ago · 9 km deep · 21 km away
  21. 1.921 km NE of East Foothills, California · 16501 days ago · 3 km deep · 62 km away
  22. 1.89 km NNW of Hollister, California · 16499 days ago · 4 km deep · 11 km away
  23. 1.64 km NNE of East Foothills, California · 16498 days ago · 2 km deep · 55 km away
  24. 1.824 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16498 days ago · 7 km deep · 71 km away
  25. 1.615 km E of Seven Trees, California · 16498 days ago · 6 km deep · 37 km away
  26. 1.54 km ENE of La Honda, California · 16497 days ago · 10 km deep · 71 km away
  27. 1.99 km NE of Gilroy, California · 16495 days ago · 9 km deep · 15 km away
  28. 3.031 km ENE of Soledad, California · 16495 days ago · 9 km deep · 64 km away
  29. 1.730 km ENE of Soledad, California · 16495 days ago · 7 km deep · 65 km away
  30. 1.58 km SSW of Ridgemark, California · 16495 days ago · 6 km deep · 29 km away
  31. 2.04 km SE of Alum Rock, California · 16493 days ago · 3 km deep · 47 km away
  32. 1.63 km WNW of Dublin, California · 16493 days ago · 6 km deep · 91 km away
  33. 1.716 km S of Davenport, California · 16493 days ago · 4 km deep · 55 km away
  34. 1.77 km ESE of East Foothills, California · 16493 days ago · 1 km deep · 47 km away
  35. 1.615 km N of Morgan Hill, California · 16493 days ago · 2 km deep · 35 km away
  36. 1.811 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 16492 days ago · 4 km deep · 38 km away
  37. 2.12 km ESE of Aromas, California · 16492 days ago · 7 km deep · 9 km away
  38. 1.63 km ESE of Aromas, California · 16492 days ago · 7 km deep · 9 km away
  39. 2.121 km NE of Soledad, California · 16492 days ago · 6 km deep · 56 km away
  40. 1.58 km NE of San Martin, California · 16492 days ago · 8 km deep · 20 km away
  41. 1.530 km ENE of Soledad, California · 16492 days ago · 8 km deep · 65 km away
  42. 2.32 km SW of Blackhawk, California · 16491 days ago · 15 km deep · 99 km away
  43. 1.93 km SW of Blackhawk, California · 16491 days ago · 14 km deep · 99 km away
  44. 1.713 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 16491 days ago · 5 km deep · 42 km away
  45. 2.014 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 16490 days ago · 4 km deep · 42 km away
  46. 1.89 km NNE of East Foothills, California · 16490 days ago · 6 km deep · 59 km away
  47. 2.025 km NE of Soledad, California · 16490 days ago · 7 km deep · 55 km away
  48. 2.438 km W of Three Rocks, California · 16490 days ago · 6 km deep · 82 km away
  49. 2.938 km W of Three Rocks, California · 16490 days ago · 7 km deep · 82 km away
  50. 1.738 km W of Three Rocks, California · 16490 days ago · 4 km deep · 82 km away
  51. 2.213 km NE of East Foothills, California · 16489 days ago · 8 km deep · 59 km away
  52. 1.63 km WSW of Blackhawk, California · 16489 days ago · 16 km deep · 100 km away
  53. 1.938 km W of Three Rocks, California · 16489 days ago · 8 km deep · 82 km away
  54. 1.738 km W of Three Rocks, California · 16489 days ago · 8 km deep · 82 km away
  55. 1.838 km W of Three Rocks, California · 16489 days ago · 7 km deep · 82 km away
  56. 1.638 km W of Three Rocks, California · 16489 days ago · 7 km deep · 82 km away
  57. 1.638 km W of Three Rocks, California · 16489 days ago · 6 km deep · 82 km away
  58. 1.637 km W of Three Rocks, California · 16489 days ago · 5 km deep · 82 km away
  59. 2.338 km W of Three Rocks, California · 16489 days ago · 8 km deep · 82 km away
  60. 2.516 km ENE of San Martin, California · 16488 days ago · 7 km deep · 25 km away

The first 60 of 167.

Before

  1. 1.72 km NE of Union City, California · 16509 days ago · 6 km deep · 81 km away
  2. 1.721 km W of Three Rocks, California · 16509 days ago · 5 km deep · 98 km away
  3. 2.83 km NNW of Hollister, California · 16510 days ago · 8 km deep · 17 km away
  4. 1.524 km NE of King City, California · 16510 days ago · 3 km deep · 86 km away
  5. 2.122 km NE of Soledad, California · 16512 days ago · 2 km deep · 62 km away
  6. 1.612 km ENE of East Foothills, California · 16512 days ago · 8 km deep · 51 km away
  7. 1.922 km SE of Livermore, California · 16512 days ago · 7 km deep · 67 km away
  8. 1.8Northern California · 16512 days ago · 7 km deep · 67 km away
  9. 1.724 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16513 days ago · 5 km deep · 74 km away
  10. 2.47 km W of Mountain House, California · 16513 days ago · 7 km deep · 91 km away
  11. 2.023 km ENE of Soledad, California · 16513 days ago · 4 km deep · 67 km away
  12. 1.621 km NE of Soledad, California · 16514 days ago · 8 km deep · 61 km away
  13. 2.422 km NE of Soledad, California · 16514 days ago · 2 km deep · 62 km away

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event nc1065477. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 11:27 PM UTC.