California earthquakes

M1.5 earthquake Central California

A magnitude 1.5 earthquake struck in Central California on Fri, Dec 15, 1989, 9:23 PM PST (05:23 UTC), 6 km (4 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M4.1 4 km E of Interlaken, California. This one was a foreshock.

Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley 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
1.5 (Md, duration), micro
Magnitude from
Northern California Seismic System
Local time
UTC
1989-12-16 05:23:02 UTC
Depth
6.2 km (3.9 mi), shallow
Epicenter
36.950° N, 121.827° 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
±0.12
Depth from
From location
Station coverage gap
94°
Stations used
29

Nearest places

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

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 192 in the 60 days after this one and 189 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 1.521 km NE of Soledad, California · 13441 days ago · 5 km deep · 76 km away
  2. 1.62 km N of Interlaken, California · 13441 days ago · 14 km deep · 9 km away
  3. 2.58 km ESE of East Foothills, California · 13441 days ago · 6 km deep · 46 km away
  4. 2.424 km NE of Greenfield, California · 13441 days ago · 7 km deep · 87 km away
  5. 1.76 km ENE of East Foothills, California · 13440 days ago · 8 km deep · 52 km away
  6. 1.617 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 13440 days ago · 3 km deep · 61 km away
  7. 1.60 km WSW of Lexington Hills, California · 13440 days ago · 9 km deep · 27 km away
  8. 1.59 km ENE of Day Valley, California · 13440 days ago · 3 km deep · 14 km away
  9. 2.913 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13440 days ago · 3 km deep · 57 km away
  10. 1.829 km SSW of South Dos Palos, California · 13440 days ago · 1 km deep · 97 km away
  11. 1.620 km ENE of Big Sur, California · 13440 days ago · 9 km deep · 69 km away
  12. 1.78 km ENE of Gilroy, California · 13440 days ago · 6 km deep · 32 km away
  13. 1.625 km SE of Tres Pinos, California · 13440 days ago · 5 km deep · 73 km away
  14. 2.94 km W of San Juan Bautista, California · 13440 days ago · 6 km deep · 24 km away
  15. 1.83 km WNW of San Juan Bautista, California · 13440 days ago · 6 km deep · 25 km away
  16. 1.924 km NE of King City, California · 13440 days ago · 0 km deep · 100 km away
  17. 3.75 km WNW of Day Valley, California · 13440 days ago · 18 km deep · 14 km away
  18. 1.92 km S of Rio Del Mar, California · 13440 days ago · 50 km deep · 6 km away
  19. 1.72 km SSW of Lexington Hills, California · 13440 days ago · 12 km deep · 26 km away
  20. 1.55 km ESE of Lexington Hills, California · 13439 days ago · 11 km deep · 23 km away
  21. 3.810 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13439 days ago · 5 km deep · 52 km away
  22. 2.210 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13439 days ago · 4 km deep · 52 km away
  23. 1.910 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13439 days ago · 4 km deep · 52 km away
  24. 1.65 km ESE of Interlaken, California · 13439 days ago · 7 km deep · 14 km away
  25. 1.68 km ENE of Gilroy, California · 13439 days ago · 7 km deep · 32 km away
  26. 2.310 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13439 days ago · 4 km deep · 52 km away
  27. 2.110 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13439 days ago · 4 km deep · 53 km away
  28. 2.410 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13439 days ago · 5 km deep · 53 km away
  29. 2.410 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13439 days ago · 4 km deep · 53 km away
  30. 1.79 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13439 days ago · 4 km deep · 52 km away
  31. 2.8Central California · 13439 days ago · 4 km deep · 52 km away
  32. 2.411 km SW of Ridgemark, California · 13439 days ago · 15 km deep · 39 km away
  33. 2.810 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13438 days ago · 4 km deep · 53 km away
  34. 2.42 km NNW of Aromas, California · 13438 days ago · 8 km deep · 16 km away
  35. 1.811 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13438 days ago · 6 km deep · 54 km away
  36. 2.42 km S of Lexington Hills, California · 13438 days ago · 11 km deep · 25 km away
  37. 2.910 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13438 days ago · 5 km deep · 53 km away
  38. 2.410 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13438 days ago · 4 km deep · 53 km away
  39. 2.018 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 13438 days ago · 9 km deep · 63 km away
  40. 1.72 km NNE of Lexington Hills, California · 13437 days ago · 4 km deep · 28 km away
  41. 1.86 km NNE of Day Valley, California · 13437 days ago · 4 km deep · 16 km away
  42. 1.65 km NE of East Foothills, California · 13437 days ago · 5 km deep · 52 km away
  43. 1.64 km WNW of San Juan Bautista, California · 13437 days ago · 6 km deep · 24 km away
  44. 1.56 km E of Zayante, California · 13437 days ago · 19 km deep · 21 km away
  45. 2.53 km SE of Los Gatos, California · 13437 days ago · 3 km deep · 30 km away
  46. 1.62 km SSW of Lexington Hills, California · 13437 days ago · 13 km deep · 25 km away
  47. 1.63 km SE of Los Gatos, California · 13437 days ago · 2 km deep · 30 km away
  48. 1.621 km NE of Soledad, California · 13436 days ago · 2 km deep · 73 km away
  49. 1.69 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13436 days ago · 4 km deep · 52 km away
  50. 1.911 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13436 days ago · 4 km deep · 54 km away
  51. 3.114 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 13436 days ago · 3 km deep · 59 km away
  52. 2.715 km SSE of Tres Pinos, California · 13436 days ago · 3 km deep · 59 km away
  53. 3.08 km ENE of San Martin, California · 13436 days ago · 7 km deep · 33 km away
  54. 2.58 km ENE of San Martin, California · 13436 days ago · 7 km deep · 33 km away
  55. 1.96 km WSW of Monte Sereno, California · 13436 days ago · 13 km deep · 36 km away
  56. 1.822 km NE of Soledad, California · 13436 days ago · 3 km deep · 74 km away
  57. 2.34 km SW of Davenport, California · 13436 days ago · 6 km deep · 36 km away
  58. 1.622 km NE of Soledad, California · 13436 days ago · 4 km deep · 74 km away
  59. 2.22 km SSW of Lexington Hills, California · 13435 days ago · 12 km deep · 25 km away
  60. 1.72 km NE of Los Gatos, California · 13435 days ago · 1 km deep · 34 km away

The first 60 of 192.

Before

  1. 1.618 km NE of East Foothills, California · 13442 days ago · 5 km deep · 63 km away
  2. 1.68 km ENE of San Martin, California · 13442 days ago · 8 km deep · 33 km away
  3. 2.82 km S of San Juan Bautista, California · 13442 days ago · 5 km deep · 29 km away
  4. 1.925 km SE of Tres Pinos, California · 13442 days ago · 5 km deep · 73 km away
  5. 2.86 km WSW of Gilroy, California · 13442 days ago · 3 km deep · 17 km away
  6. 2.96 km WSW of Gilroy, California · 13442 days ago · 3 km deep · 17 km away
  7. 1.621 km NE of Soledad, California · 13443 days ago · 3 km deep · 74 km away
  8. 2.03 km NNW of Hollister, California · 13443 days ago · 7 km deep · 37 km away
  9. 1.83 km SE of Los Gatos, California · 13443 days ago · 2 km deep · 30 km away
  10. 1.65 km SW of Gilroy, California · 13443 days ago · 2 km deep · 20 km away
  11. 1.85 km SE of Sunol, California · 13443 days ago · 6 km deep · 67 km away
  12. 2.12 km W of Monte Sereno, California · 13443 days ago · 8 km deep · 36 km away
  13. 2.06 km NE of Day Valley, California · 13443 days ago · 10 km deep · 14 km away
  14. 1.67 km ENE of Day Valley, California · 13443 days ago · 8 km deep · 13 km away
  15. 1.65 km NE of Corralitos, California · 13443 days ago · 3 km deep · 10 km away
  16. 2.18 km ENE of Morgan Hill, California · 13443 days ago · 4 km deep · 34 km away
  17. 2.35 km WNW of San Juan Bautista, California · 13444 days ago · 7 km deep · 23 km away
  18. 1.64 km E of Interlaken, California · 13444 days ago · 10 km deep · 13 km away
  19. 1.711 km S of Tres Pinos, California · 13444 days ago · 5 km deep · 54 km away
  20. 1.612 km NE of East Foothills, California · 13444 days ago · 6 km deep · 58 km away

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event nc148972. Read Sun, Oct 4, 2026, 2:29 PM UTC.