The October 5, 1920 earthquake
M5.2near Spreckels, California
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake, centred in Monterey County. The 328th strongest in California’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles since a magnitude 5.8 on August 6, 1916.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 5.2
- as reported (uk)
- Depth
- —
- Not recorded
- Local time
- Tuesday, October 5, 1920
- 11:03 PST; 19:03 UTC
- In California’s record
- 328th
- strongest of 97,065 since 1900
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event ushis664 (“5 km SSW of Spreckels, 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
- Monterey CountyCA · inside
- San Benito CountyCA · 13.3 mi
- Santa Cruz CountyCA · 20.3 mi
- Santa Clara CountyCA · 22.3 mi
- Merced CountyCA · 33.7 mi
- Stanislaus CountyCA · 42.4 mi
- Fresno CountyCA · 43.1 mi
Cities, largest first
- SalinasCA · 7.9 mi
- Santa CruzCA · 33.9 mi
- GilroyCA · 29.8 mi
- WatsonvilleCA · 24.4 mi
- HollisterCA · 24.2 mi
- Morgan HillCA · 38.2 mi
- Los GatosCA · 47.6 mi
- SeasideCA · 8.8 mi
- MontereyCA · 11.9 mi
- SoledadCA · 22.0 mi
- MarinaCA · 9.6 mi
- GreenfieldCA · 29.6 mi
Earthquakes around the epicentre
2,537 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of this epicentre since 1973.
Earlier earthquakes of magnitude 5 or more within 50 miles, strongest first
- July 1, 1911M6.5
- June 11, 1903M6.1
- March 10, 1910M5.8
- August 6, 1916M5.8
- December 31, 1910M5.7
- November 8, 1914M5.5
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog. Local time is the time zone of the county nearest the epicentre. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them.