The June 6, 1932 earthquake

M6.5Eureka, California

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake 9.3 miles deep, 8.1 miles off Humboldt County. The 30th strongest in California’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles since a magnitude 7.1 on January 22, 1923.

The earthquake

Magnitude
6.5
moment magnitude (mw)
Depth
9.3 mi
15.0 km below the surface
Local time
Monday, June 6, 1932
00:44 PST; 08:44 UTC
Epicentre
40.73°N, 124.29°W
8.1 mi from Humboldt County
In California’s record
30th
strongest of 97,065 since 1900
Within 50 miles
2
counties; more on this date

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event iscgem906203 (“The 1932 Eureka, California Earthquake”). 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

Cities, largest first

Earthquakes around the epicentre

2,425 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of this epicentre since 1973.

Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of the epicentre, by year 1973: 6 1974: 33 1975: 53 1976: 51 1977: 58 1978: 68 1979: 49 1980: 100 1981: 106 1982: 52 1983: 69 1984: 55 1985: 44 1986: 70 1987: 82 1988: 48 1989: 54 1990: 50 1991: 77 1992: 292 292 1993: 51 1994: 68 1995: 35 1996: 25 1997: 34 1998: 24 1999: 19 2000: 25 2001: 26 2002: 38 2003: 30 2004: 22 2005: 25 2006: 30 2007: 23 2008: 14 2009: 12 2010: 35 2011: 9 2012: 24 2013: 22 2014: 28 2015: 10 2016: 12 2017: 16 2018: 11 2019: 34 2020: 24 2021: 39 2022: 40 2023: 30 2024: 131 2025: 42 19731978198319881993199820032008201320182023

Earlier earthquakes of magnitude 5 or more within 50 miles, strongest first

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