February 15, 1856 Earthquake: Northern, California, United States
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Northern, California, United States on February 15, 1856 at 13:25 UTC. It caused a tsunami.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- February 15, 1856
- Time
- 13:25 UTC
- Place
- Northern, California, United States
- Magnitude
- 5.5 (ML)
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 37.500° N, 122.300° W
- Country
- United States
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million) with its tsunami and other effects
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
1856, February 15, 5:20 (local time). At San Francisco, the strongest (since 1848) earthquake occurred lasting 10 seconds (8 degrees). It was preceded by mild shocks and an underground rustling. It was accompanied by a rumble. It was 7 degrees at Oakland, 6 degrees at San Jose, 5 degrees at Monterey, 4 degrees at Bodega Bay. There was a shock at Santa Rosa (4 degrees?) but nowhere to the north. There was a mild shock at Stockton but nowhere to the east. It may have been felt at Knoxville (Reference #415).
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake caused some damage in San Francisco and threw down some people. In the Bay the shocks were as severe as on shore. Vessels vibrated and shook as if striking on rocks.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- April 18, 1906, San Francisco, California, United States
- October 18, 1989, Loma Prieta, California, United States
- October 21, 1868, Hayward,san Francisco, California, United States
- August 24, 2014, Napa, Vallejo, California, United States
- October 2, 1969, Santa Rosa, California, United States
- September 24, 1859, Half Moon Bay, California, United States
- June 1838, San Francisco,san Jose,santa Clara, California, United States
- November 26, 1858, San Jose,san Francisco, California, United States
- July 4, 1861, Contra Costa,alameda Counties, California, United States
- February 10, 1869, San Francisco, California, United States
- February 13, 1869, San Francisco, California, United States
- May 15, 1851, Northern, California, United States
- October 22, 1854, Northern, California, United States
- October 22, 1855, San Francisco, California, United States
- July 20, 2007, Montclair, California, United States
More
Significant earthquakes of 1856The 1800sRecent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 6977.