September 24, 1859 Earthquake: Half Moon Bay, California, United States
An earthquake struck Half Moon Bay, California, United States on September 24, 1859. 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
- September 24, 1859
- Place
- Half Moon Bay, California, United States
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 37.600° N, 122.300° W
- Country
- United States
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
1859, September 24, 3:00 local time (or October 18, 6:00 local time). There was an earthquake at San Francisco and Half Moon Bay. The schooner "Black Warrior" was riding at anchor in Half Moon Bay. Suddenly the water retreated 4 1/2 m (15 feet) and the ship found itself on dry bottom, where it stayed for several seconds. Then the water returned so fast that it damaged the schooner (Reference #415).
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
- June 1838, San Francisco,san Jose,santa Clara, California, United States
- February 15, 1856, Northern, 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
- November 26, 1858, San Jose,san Francisco, California, United States
- July 4, 1861, Contra Costa,alameda Counties, California, United States
More
Significant earthquakes of 1859The 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 6135.