The June 26, 1968 earthquake

M5.1near Shelter Cove, California

A magnitude 5.1 earthquake 6.2 miles deep, 5.1 miles off Humboldt County. The 382nd strongest in California’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles since a magnitude 5.9 on June 25, 1968.

The earthquake

Magnitude
5.1
body-wave magnitude (mb)
Depth
6.2 mi
10.0 km below the surface
Local time
Wednesday, June 26, 1968
03:47 PDT; 10:47 UTC
Epicentre
40.20°N, 124.30°W
5.1 mi from Humboldt County
In California’s record
382nd
strongest of 97,065 since 1900
Within 50 miles
3
counties; more on this date

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event ushis3015 (“26 km NW of Shelter Cove, 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

Cities, largest first

Earthquakes around the epicentre

2,245 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: 5 1974: 26 1975: 43 1976: 45 1977: 46 1978: 63 1979: 46 1980: 68 1981: 88 1982: 44 1983: 69 1984: 49 1985: 40 1986: 65 1987: 76 1988: 47 1989: 54 1990: 47 1991: 72 1992: 292 292 1993: 46 1994: 72 1995: 37 1996: 28 1997: 31 1998: 23 1999: 19 2000: 30 2001: 22 2002: 36 2003: 27 2004: 21 2005: 23 2006: 29 2007: 20 2008: 9 2009: 10 2010: 33 2011: 9 2012: 15 2013: 18 2014: 18 2015: 9 2016: 13 2017: 13 2018: 9 2019: 31 2020: 25 2021: 43 2022: 38 2023: 26 2024: 134 2025: 43 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.