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The August 8, 1973 earthquake

M5.1near Scotia, California

A magnitude 5.1 earthquake 1.2 miles deep, centred in Humboldt County. The 382nd strongest in California’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles since a magnitude 5.4 on November 20, 1971.

The earthquake

Magnitude
5.1
body-wave magnitude (mb)
Depth
1.2 mi
2.0 km below the surface
Local time
Wednesday, August 8, 1973
19:18 PDT; 02:18 UTC on Aug 9, 1973
Epicentre
40.26°N, 124.23°W
In 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 usp000031j (“27 km SSW of Scotia, 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

2,233 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: 44 1977: 45 1978: 62 1979: 45 1980: 67 1981: 91 1982: 45 1983: 67 1984: 46 1985: 38 1986: 69 1987: 78 1988: 47 1989: 53 1990: 46 1991: 76 1992: 291 291 1993: 46 1994: 70 1995: 35 1996: 27 1997: 30 1998: 21 1999: 19 2000: 27 2001: 23 2002: 36 2003: 28 2004: 21 2005: 22 2006: 29 2007: 18 2008: 9 2009: 10 2010: 33 2011: 9 2012: 16 2013: 22 2014: 18 2015: 9 2016: 12 2017: 14 2018: 8 2019: 32 2020: 25 2021: 41 2022: 38 2023: 27 2024: 132 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.