The November 4, 1908 earthquake

M6.0Death Valley area, California

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake, centred in Inyo County. The 66th strongest in California’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles in the catalogue, which runs from 1900.

The earthquake

Magnitude: 6.0; surface-wave magnitude (ms)
Depth: —; Not recorded
Local time: Wednesday, November 4, 1908; 00:37 PST; 08:37 UTC
Epicentre: 36.00°N, 117.00°W; In Inyo County
In California’s record: 66th; strongest of 97,065 since 1900
Within 50 miles: 3; counties; more on this date

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event ushis478 (“Death Valley area, California”). The USGS event page carries the ShakeMap, felt reports and the official summary.

Counties and cities within 50 miles

Distance from the epicentre to each county boundary (zero when inside) and to each city centre.

Counties

Inyo CountyCA · inside
San Bernardino CountyCA · 38.2 mi
Kern CountyCA · 38.2 mi

Cities, largest first

RidgecrestCA · 45.2 mi

Earthquakes around the epicentre

1,988 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of this epicentre since 1973.

No earlier earthquake of magnitude 5 or more within 50 miles in the catalogue since 1900.

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog. Local time is the time zone of the county nearest the epicentre. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them.