November 17, 1949 Earthquake: Southern, California, United States
An earthquake struck Southern, California, United States on November 17, 1949 at 01:19:52 UTC.
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
- November 17, 1949
- Time
- 01:19:52 UTC
- Place
- Southern, California, United States
- Intensity
- 5 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 33.750° N, 118.250° W
- Country
- United States
The toll
- Damage
- $9 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.
Damage exceeding $9,000,000 at 1,800 ft level below surface where nearly 200 oil wells were damaged. Felt in Long Beach and San Pedro. (reference #45)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- March 11, 1933, Long Beach, California, United States
- February 9, 1971, San Fernando, California, United States
- January 17, 1994, Northridge, California, United States
- December 8, 1812, San Juan Capistrano, California, United States
- June 29, 1925, Santa Barbara, California, United States
- July 21, 1952, Kern County, California, United States
- October 1, 1987, Whittier, California, United States
- December 25, 1899, California, United States
- June 28, 1992, Landers, Yucca Valley, California, United States
- June 28, 1991, Arcadia, Glendale, Los Angeles, California, United States
- August 22, 1952, Kern County, California, United States
- October 4, 1987, Whittier, Pasadena, California, United States
- August 31, 1930, Southern, California, United States
- April 21, 1918, San Jacinto, Hemet, California, United States
- December 21, 1812, Purisima, California, United States
More
Significant earthquakes of 1949The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1949Recent 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 3923.