January 1, 1927 Earthquake: California, Mexico, United States
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck California, Mexico, United States on January 1, 1927 at 08:16:00 UTC. It killed 1 person, counting the tsunami it caused.
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
- January 1, 1927
- Time
- 08:16:00 UTC
- Place
- California, Mexico, United States
- Magnitude
- 5.8
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 32.500° N, 115.500° W
- Country
- United States
The toll
- Deaths
- 1 with its tsunami and other effects
- Injuries
- Few (about 1 to 50)
- Damage
- $1 million; $3 million with its tsunami and other effects
- Houses destroyed
- Few (about 1 to 50)
- Houses damaged
- 20
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.
There was a strong earthquake with source in Imperial Valley, on the border of the USA and Mexico. It recurred with approximately the same force an hour later and was followed by a multitude of aftershocks. At Calexico, about 20 buildings were seriously damaged; fires broke out; the water main was broken; several residents were injured in collapses. At Mexicali, several buildings were destroyed and many were damaged; fires broke out. Damage was also done at other points. The earthquake was felt on an area of about 170,000 square kilometers (50,000 square miles), including San Diego (Reference #415).
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- May 19, 1940, California, Mexico, United States
- June 23, 1915, El Centro, California, United States
- December 25, 1899, California, United States
- April 4, 2010, Baja California, Mexico
- November 24, 1987, Superstition Hills, California, United States
- June 9, 1980, Northwestern Mexico
- April 21, 1918, San Jacinto, Hemet, California, United States
- November 29, 1852, N. Mexico
- February 24, 1892, San Diego, California, Baja California, USA, Mexico
- February 9, 2008, Baja California, Mexico
- October 15, 1979, Mexicali, Imperial Valley, Mexico, California, United States
- February 22, 2002, Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
- December 30, 2009, Mexicali, Mexico
- June 15, 2010, Ocotillo, California, United States
- April 26, 1981, Westmorland,calipatria, California, United States
More
Significant earthquakes of 1927The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1927Recent 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 3305.