California earthquakes

M2.5 earthquake 10 km NW of Belden, California

A magnitude 2.5 earthquake struck 10 km NW of Belden, California on Wed, Oct 21, 1987, 8:05 AM PDT (15:05 UTC), 13 km (8 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M2.9 5 km NW of Loyalton, 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
2.5 (Md, duration), micro
Magnitude from
Northern California Seismic System
Local time
UTC
1987-10-21 15:05:39 UTC
Depth
12.7 km (7.9 mi), shallow
Epicenter
40.059° N, 121.353° 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 0.4 km horizontally, 1.1 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty
±0.27
Depth from
From location
Station coverage gap
153°
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: 32 in the 60 days after this one and 16 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 2.02 km W of Cassel, California · 14224 days ago · 3 km deep · 97 km away
  2. 2.316 km NE of Greenhorn, California · 14223 days ago · 3 km deep · 61 km away
  3. 1.82 km NW of Paradise, California · 14223 days ago · 17 km deep · 40 km away
  4. 1.64 km ESE of Chester, California · 14221 days ago · 7 km deep · 29 km away
  5. 2.33 km W of Palo Cedro, California · 14211 days ago · 18 km deep · 97 km away
  6. 1.63 km SW of Palo Cedro, California · 14210 days ago · 8 km deep · 94 km away
  7. 2.95 km NW of Loyalton, California · 14209 days ago · 4 km deep · 99 km away
  8. 1.75 km ENE of Nord, California · 14209 days ago · 27 km deep · 54 km away
  9. 1.913 km W of Chester, California · 14209 days ago · 8 km deep · 26 km away
  10. 1.54 km WNW of Belden, California · 14206 days ago · 8 km deep · 6 km away
  11. 2.117 km NW of Chester, California · 14203 days ago · 1 km deep · 40 km away
  12. 2.42 km NNW of Plumas Eureka (historical), California · 14203 days ago · -2 km deep · 62 km away
  13. 2.53 km NNW of Johnsville, California · 14203 days ago · 25 km deep · 63 km away
  14. 1.814 km NNW of Litchfield, California · 14199 days ago · -1 km deep · 90 km away
  15. 1.9Northern California · 14198 days ago · 3 km deep · 48 km away
  16. 2.72 km NW of Plumas Eureka (historical), California · 14197 days ago · -2 km deep · 62 km away
  17. 1.817 km SE of Fall River Mills, California · 14197 days ago · 14 km deep · 95 km away
  18. 2.04 km WSW of Plumas Eureka (historical), California · 14191 days ago · 0 km deep · 62 km away
  19. 1.85 km SE of Canyondam, California · 14186 days ago · -1 km deep · 28 km away
  20. 1.81 km N of Old Station, California · 14184 days ago · 6 km deep · 71 km away
  21. 2.014 km WSW of Lake Almanor West, California · 14182 days ago · 6 km deep · 13 km away
  22. 2.412 km WSW of Doyle, California · 14181 days ago · 3 km deep · 94 km away
  23. 2.03 km SSW of Palo Cedro, California · 14180 days ago · 9 km deep · 94 km away
  24. 2.14 km SW of Hamilton City, California · 14180 days ago · 16 km deep · 71 km away
  25. 1.93 km S of Nord, California · 14177 days ago · 18 km deep · 62 km away
  26. 2.03 km SE of Hamilton City, California · 14177 days ago · 13 km deep · 66 km away
  27. 2.25 km WSW of Greenville, California · 14171 days ago · 0 km deep · 30 km away
  28. 2.42 km W of Johnstonville, California · 14171 days ago · -2 km deep · 72 km away
  29. 2.09 km NE of Chester, California · 14171 days ago · -2 km deep · 38 km away
  30. 2.04 km NNW of Palo Cedro, California · 14170 days ago · 4 km deep · 97 km away
  31. 1.937 km NW of Susanville, California · 14169 days ago · 0 km deep · 80 km away
  32. 2.116 km ENE of Willows, California · 14167 days ago · 21 km deep · 78 km away

Before

  1. 2.28 km ENE of Gerber, California · 14226 days ago · 16 km deep · 61 km away
  2. 2.84 km SE of Johnsville, California · 14228 days ago · 2 km deep · 70 km away
  3. 2.28 km NE of Orland, California · 14235 days ago · 15 km deep · 72 km away
  4. 2.09 km SW of Durham, California · 14237 days ago · 24 km deep · 69 km away
  5. 2.36 km SSW of Spring Garden, California · 14240 days ago · 1 km deep · 51 km away
  6. 1.61 km SE of Oroville, California · 14241 days ago · 11 km deep · 64 km away
  7. 2.511 km ENE of Bend, California · 14245 days ago · 15 km deep · 68 km away
  8. 2.711 km ENE of Bend, California · 14245 days ago · 16 km deep · 68 km away
  9. 2.2Northern California · 14250 days ago · 3 km deep · 55 km away
  10. 2.19 km ENE of Bend, California · 14251 days ago · 19 km deep · 70 km away
  11. 2.012 km ENE of Bend, California · 14252 days ago · 14 km deep · 67 km away
  12. 1.513 km NE of Bend, California · 14252 days ago · 8 km deep · 69 km away
  13. 1.612 km ENE of Bend, California · 14252 days ago · 11 km deep · 68 km away
  14. 1.914 km NNE of Shingletown, California · 14252 days ago · 16 km deep · 76 km away
  15. 2.311 km ENE of Bend, California · 14253 days ago · 16 km deep · 68 km away
  16. 1.73 km ENE of Chico, California · 14254 days ago · 21 km deep · 53 km away

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event nc107440. Read Fri, Oct 2, 2026, 1:43 AM UTC.