May 19, 1940 Earthquake: California, Mexico, United States
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck California, Mexico, United States on May 19, 1940 at 04:36:40 UTC, 16 km below the surface. It killed 9 people.
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
- May 19, 1940
- Time
- 04:36:40 UTC
- Place
- California, Mexico, United States
- Magnitude
- 7.2 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 16 km (10 mi)
- Intensity
- 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 32.733° N, 115.500° W
- Country
- United States
The toll
- Deaths
- 9
- Damage
- $33 million
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.
Two earthquakes on May 19 at 0436 and 0551 UTC in Imperial Valley, near El Centro, California. The main earthquake took nine lives and caused property damage estimated at $6 million. Damage from a strong aftershock near Brawley at 0551 UTC is included in the estimate. About 49 aftershocks occurred thourgh the end of 1940. (reference #542)
Reference #1250 lists $33 million damage.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- June 23, 1915, El Centro, California, United States
- December 25, 1899, California, United States
- June 28, 1992, Landers, Yucca Valley, California, United States
- November 24, 1987, Superstition Hills, California, United States
- April 4, 2010, Baja California, Mexico
- January 1, 1927, California, Mexico, United States
- June 9, 1980, Northwestern Mexico
- April 21, 1918, San Jacinto, Hemet, California, United States
- October 15, 1979, Mexicali, Imperial Valley, Mexico, California, United States
- November 29, 1852, N. Mexico
- February 24, 1892, San Diego, California, Baja California, USA, Mexico
- February 9, 2008, Baja California, Mexico
- June 15, 2010, Ocotillo, California, United States
- December 30, 2009, Mexicali, Mexico
- April 26, 1981, Westmorland,calipatria, California, United States
More
Significant earthquakes of 1940The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1940Recent 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 3662.