California earthquakes

M1.5 earthquake 21 km NE of Soledad, California

A magnitude 1.5 earthquake struck 21 km NE of Soledad, California on Mon, Mar 23, 1981, 7:48 AM PST (15:48 UTC), 6 km (4 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M1.8 Central California. This one was a foreshock.

Soledad forecastMore in California

Map

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

Open the live map with earthquakes

The earthquake

Magnitude
1.5 (md), micro
Local time
UTC
1981-03-23 15:48:51 UTC
Depth
6.4 km (4.0 mi), shallow
Epicenter
36.584° N, 121.186° 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
±0.16
Depth from
From location
Station coverage gap
57°
Stations used
20

Nearest places

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

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 150 in the 60 days after this one and 41 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 1.8Central California · 16620 days ago · 11 km deep · 91 km away
  2. 2.025 km NE of Soledad, California · 16619 days ago · 10 km deep · 6 km away
  3. 1.69 km NE of San Martin, California · 16619 days ago · 7 km deep · 70 km away
  4. 1.58 km SSW of Tres Pinos, California · 16618 days ago · 4 km deep · 22 km away
  5. 2.08 km SSW of Tres Pinos, California · 16618 days ago · 4 km deep · 22 km away
  6. 2.07 km SSW of Tres Pinos, California · 16618 days ago · 3 km deep · 22 km away
  7. 1.58 km SSW of Tres Pinos, California · 16618 days ago · 4 km deep · 22 km away
  8. 2.08 km SSW of Tres Pinos, California · 16618 days ago · 4 km deep · 22 km away
  9. 1.713 km N of Morgan Hill, California · 16618 days ago · 6 km deep · 85 km away
  10. 1.57 km SSW of Tres Pinos, California · 16617 days ago · 4 km deep · 22 km away
  11. 1.524 km NNE of King City, California · 16617 days ago · 7 km deep · 27 km away
  12. 2.09 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 16617 days ago · 3 km deep · 19 km away
  13. 1.89 km NNE of San Juan Bautista, California · 16616 days ago · 4 km deep · 48 km away
  14. 1.732 km NE of San Lucas, California · 16616 days ago · 8 km deep · 48 km away
  15. 2.824 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16616 days ago · 6 km deep · 18 km away
  16. 2.519 km NNW of San Simeon, California · 16616 days ago · 5 km deep · 87 km away
  17. 2.42 km SSW of Hollister, California · 16615 days ago · 9 km deep · 34 km away
  18. 1.921 km NE of Soledad, California · 16615 days ago · 6 km deep · 7 km away
  19. 1.710 km E of San Martin, California · 16615 days ago · 9 km deep · 62 km away
  20. 2.94 km SSW of Ridgemark, CA · 16615 days ago · 3 km deep · 28 km away
  21. 1.822 km NE of San Ardo, California · 16615 days ago · 3 km deep · 59 km away
  22. 2.519 km NNW of San Simeon, California · 16615 days ago · 5 km deep · 86 km away
  23. 1.6Central California · 16614 days ago · 4 km deep · 59 km away
  24. 2.224 km ENE of Greenfield, California · 16613 days ago · 7 km deep · 26 km away
  25. 1.525 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16612 days ago · 6 km deep · 20 km away
  26. 2.112 km NNW of Hollister, California · 16612 days ago · 4 km deep · 47 km away
  27. 1.724 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16612 days ago · 6 km deep · 17 km away
  28. 1.70 km WNW of Hollister, California · 16612 days ago · 8 km deep · 36 km away
  29. 2.124 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16611 days ago · 6 km deep · 17 km away
  30. 2.07 km SSW of Tres Pinos, California · 16611 days ago · 3 km deep · 22 km away
  31. 1.63 km WSW of Hollister, California · 16610 days ago · 7 km deep · 37 km away
  32. 1.68 km NE of San Martin, California · 16610 days ago · 6 km deep · 69 km away
  33. 2.110 km SSE of San Juan Bautista, California · 16610 days ago · 7 km deep · 33 km away
  34. 2.02 km WSW of San Juan Bautista, California · 16610 days ago · 7 km deep · 44 km away
  35. 1.65 km SSE of San Juan Bautista, California · 16609 days ago · 6 km deep · 38 km away
  36. 2.123 km ENE of San Lucas, California · 16608 days ago · 6 km deep · 53 km away
  37. 2.36 km NW of Parkfield, California · 16607 days ago · 5 km deep · 96 km away
  38. 3.836 km NW of San Simeon, California · 16607 days ago · 7 km deep · 87 km away
  39. 1.59 km NE of Gilroy, California · 16607 days ago · 8 km deep · 60 km away
  40. 1.923 km NNE of San Lucas, California · 16607 days ago · 9 km deep · 41 km away
  41. 1.624 km NNE of San Lucas, California · 16607 days ago · 9 km deep · 40 km away
  42. 1.816 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 16607 days ago · 4 km deep · 10 km away
  43. 1.58 km E of East Foothills, California · 16606 days ago · 8 km deep · 99 km away
  44. 1.812 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 16605 days ago · 3 km deep · 15 km away
  45. 1.88 km SSW of Tres Pinos, California · 16605 days ago · 3 km deep · 22 km away
  46. 2.07 km NW of Parkfield, California · 16603 days ago · 10 km deep · 95 km away
  47. 2.22 km NE of Ridgemark, California · 16603 days ago · 7 km deep · 30 km away
  48. 1.89 km NNW of Hollister, California · 16603 days ago · 0 km deep · 45 km away
  49. 1.625 km SE of Big Sur, California · 16602 days ago · 6 km deep · 62 km away
  50. 1.725 km SE of Big Sur, California · 16602 days ago · 4 km deep · 62 km away
  51. 2.025 km SE of Big Sur, California · 16602 days ago · 5 km deep · 63 km away
  52. 2.025 km SE of Big Sur, California · 16602 days ago · 10 km deep · 64 km away
  53. 1.925 km SE of Big Sur, California · 16602 days ago · 5 km deep · 63 km away
  54. 1.631 km WNW of San Simeon, California · 16601 days ago · 11 km deep · 98 km away
  55. 3.08 km SSW of Tres Pinos, California · 16601 days ago · 3 km deep · 22 km away
  56. 1.814 km E of Seven Trees, California · 16600 days ago · 1 km deep · 90 km away
  57. 2.124 km ENE of Soledad, California · 16600 days ago · 8 km deep · 11 km away
  58. 1.725 km ENE of Soledad, California · 16600 days ago · 8 km deep · 10 km away
  59. 1.610 km E of Gilroy, California · 16598 days ago · 8 km deep · 52 km away
  60. 1.65 km ENE of San Martin, California · 16598 days ago · 3 km deep · 66 km away

The first 60 of 150.

Before

  1. 2.314 km E of Seven Trees, California · 16621 days ago · 4 km deep · 89 km away
  2. 1.817 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 16621 days ago · 6 km deep · 8 km away
  3. 2.115 km E of Seven Trees, California · 16621 days ago · 3 km deep · 89 km away
  4. 1.627 km ENE of Soledad, California · 16622 days ago · 8 km deep · 12 km away
  5. 1.69 km NE of Gilroy, California · 16622 days ago · 9 km deep · 60 km away
  6. 1.714 km SE of Tres Pinos, California · 16623 days ago · 4 km deep · 14 km away
  7. 2.85 km NNE of Interlaken, California · 16623 days ago · 12 km deep · 65 km away
  8. 1.63 km NNE of Day Valley, California · 16623 days ago · 15 km deep · 80 km away
  9. 2.123 km NE of San Ardo, California · 16624 days ago · 7 km deep · 58 km away
  10. 1.78 km ENE of Gilroy, California · 16624 days ago · 8 km deep · 56 km away
  11. 1.614 km E of Seven Trees, California · 16624 days ago · 1 km deep · 90 km away
  12. 1.722 km ENE of Soledad, California · 16624 days ago · 4 km deep · 12 km away
  13. 1.624 km ENE of Greenfield, California · 16626 days ago · 4 km deep · 22 km away
  14. 2.314 km E of Seven Trees, California · 16626 days ago · 2 km deep · 90 km away
  15. 2.14 km ESE of Aromas, California · 16627 days ago · 6 km deep · 49 km away
  16. 1.723 km NNE of San Lucas, California · 16628 days ago · 8 km deep · 41 km away
  17. 1.824 km NE of Greenfield, California · 16629 days ago · 4 km deep · 21 km away
  18. 1.69 km ESE of East Foothills, California · 16629 days ago · 8 km deep · 98 km away
  19. 1.68 km ENE of Gilroy, California · 16629 days ago · 7 km deep · 58 km away
  20. 1.630 km WNW of San Simeon, California · 16629 days ago · 6 km deep · 99 km away

Earthquakes todayCalifornia earthquakesLive radar here

Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event nc1061619. Read Wed, Sep 23, 2026, 2:06 PM UTC.