California earthquakes

M2.5 earthquake 11km SSW of Olancha, CA

A magnitude 2.5 earthquake struck 11km SSW of Olancha, CA on Fri, Sep 18, 1981, 11:18 PM PDT (06:18 UTC), 5 km (3 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M2.9 5km SE of Independence, CA. This one was a foreshock.

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

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The earthquake

Magnitude
2.5 (ML, local (Richter)), micro
Magnitude from
Southern California Seismic Network
Local time
UTC
1981-09-19 06:18:47 UTC
Depth
4.6 km (2.8 mi), shallow
Epicenter
36.189° N, 118.053° 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.

Magnitude uncertainty
±0.22
Depth from
Operator assigned
Station coverage gap
57°
Stations used
0

Nearest places

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

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 47 in the 60 days after this one and 21 in the 30 days before it.

After

Before

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event ci523252. Read Thu, Oct 1, 2026, 10:46 AM UTC.