M3.0 earthquake 14km NW of Ocotillo, CA

A magnitude 3.0 earthquake struck 14km NW of Ocotillo, CA on Thu, Apr 18, 1985, 1:26 PM PST (21:26 UTC), 6 km (4 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M3.6 10km NNE of Borrego Springs, CA. This one was a foreshock.

Map

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

Different scales measure different things and differ by a few tenths. The USGS marks one as preferred, and it is the one this page uses.

Mag.	Scale	Computed by	Notes
3.02	ML, local (Richter)	Southern California Seismic Network	Preferred · Final · 4 stations
3.1	ML, local (Richter)	USGS National Earthquake Information Center	Reviewed

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

Reviewed by a seismologist.

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

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 177 in the 60 days after this one and 110 in the 30 days before it.

The first 60 of 177.

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event ci64658 (also filed as usp0002dxc). Read Fri, Oct 2, 2026, 6:07 AM UTC.