October 16, 1999 Earthquake: Ludlow, Landers, Twentynine Palms, California, United States
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Ludlow, Landers, Twentynine Palms, California, United States on October 16, 1999 at 09:46:44 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
- October 16, 1999
- Time
- 09:46:44 UTC
- Place
- Ludlow, Landers, Twentynine Palms, California, United States
- Magnitude
- 7.2 (Mw)
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 34.594° N, 116.271° W
- Country
- United States
The toll
- Injuries
- 4
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 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.
Four people slightly injured when an Amtrak train derailed near Ludlow. Damage (VII) at Landers, Ludlow, Twentynine Palms and Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base. Slight damage (VI) at Amboy, Apple Valley, Baker, Barstow, Big Bear Lake, Cima, Crest Park, Desert Center, Essex, Fawnskin, Fort Irwin, Hemet, Highland, Hinkley, Joshua Tree, Lucerne Valley, Newberry Springs, Olancha, Palm Springs, Phelan,
Ridgecrest, Tecopa, Thousand Palms and Victorville. Also
slight damage (VI) at Laughlin, Nevada. Felt (V) at many
localities in southern California, southern Nevada and
western Arizona. Also felt at Ensenada, Mexicali, Tecate
and Tijuana, Baja California. Surface faulting observed
along a 45-kilometer segment of the Lavic Lake Fault with
as much as 2.8-4.7 meters of right-lateral displacement. (reference #1053)
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
- December 8, 1812, San Juan Capistrano, 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
- November 24, 1987, Superstition Hills, California, United States
- April 21, 1918, San Jacinto, Hemet, California, United States
- July 4, 2019, Ridgecrest, Nevada, California, United States
- October 4, 1987, Whittier, Pasadena, California, United States
- April 10, 1947, California, United States
- February 22, 2003, Big Bear City, California, United States
- June 28, 1992, Big Bear Lake, Big Bear City, California, United States
- April 23, 1992, Joshua Tree, Angelus Oaks, California, United States
More
Significant earthquakes of 1999The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1999Recent 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 5538.