The December 3, 1931 earthquake
M5.1near Carmel Valley Village, California
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake, centred in Monterey County. The 382nd strongest in California’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles since a magnitude 5.5 on October 24, 1926.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 5.1
- as reported (uk)
- Depth
- —
- Not recorded
- Local time
- Thursday, December 3, 1931
- 16:53 PST; 00:53 UTC on Dec 4, 1931
- In California’s record
- 382nd
- strongest of 97,065 since 1900
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event ushis883 (“8 km E of Carmel Valley Village, 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 · 17.0 mi
- Santa Cruz CountyCA · 25.4 mi
- Santa Clara CountyCA · 27.7 mi
- Merced CountyCA · 37.4 mi
- Fresno CountyCA · 44.8 mi
- Stanislaus CountyCA · 47.6 mi
Cities, largest first
- SalinasCA · 13.3 mi
- Santa CruzCA · 38.5 mi
- GilroyCA · 35.3 mi
- WatsonvilleCA · 29.8 mi
- HollisterCA · 28.8 mi
- Morgan HillCA · 43.7 mi
- SeasideCA · 11.9 mi
- MontereyCA · 13.7 mi
- SoledadCA · 20.1 mi
- MarinaCA · 14.1 mi
- GreenfieldCA · 26.6 mi
- Pacific GroveCA · 16.6 mi
Earthquakes around the epicentre
2,406 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
- October 22, 1926M6.3
- October 22, 1926M6.3
- June 11, 1903M6.1
- March 10, 1910M5.8
- August 6, 1916M5.8
- December 31, 1910M5.7
- October 24, 1926M5.5
- November 8, 1914M5.5
- October 5, 1920M5.2
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog. Local time is the time zone of the county nearest the epicentre. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them.