What is the average earthquake magnitude in california

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Additionally, utility services were briefly disrupted in some locations. On November 27, , a magnitude 5. Two earthquakes occurred in in the same general area, about 10 miles north of the town of Ridgecrest , just about a month apart. The first, on August 17, was a magnitude 5. It produced more than 2, aftershocks in the five weeks that followed. The second significant shock was on September 20, with a magnitude of 5. The second quake produced close to 2, aftershocks! On January 17, , a magnitude 6.

The quake hit the insurance industry hard: many insurers had greatly underestimated the costs associated with a major earthquake. By , many had restricted or stopped writing residential insurance policies, sending the California housing market into a tailspin. In response to this crisis, CEA was created. On the early morning of June 28, , a magnitude 7.

Although its epicenter was in a sparsely populated area, it was said to have been felt throughout the Los Angeles area , Arizona, Nevada, and Idaho. That same morning, a magnitude 6. This quake caused considerable damage in the Big Bear area, causing a mile-long fault rupture and landslide s that blocked and damaged roads in the San Bernardino Mountains. Between the two quakes, at least people were injured, one child died from a fallen chimney, and two others died of heart attacks.

The Cape Mendocino earthquakes struck near Petrolia on April 25, The first quake, a magnitude 7. The shaking caused severe damage, massive landslides , a tsunami, and injured hundreds of people.

The quake also shook the Petrolia fire house so hard that the garage door jammed, trapping the fire engine inside. The volunteer fire crew was then unable to put out the fires that followed the quake. On April 22, , a magnitude 6. More than 30 people were treated for minor injuries. There were several aftershocks. On the morning of June 28, , a magnitude 5. Unreinforced masonry buildings suffered the most damage. The quake also caused rockslides that blocked mountain roads.

It was felt extensively throughout the entire Bay Area. The Loma Prieta quake was the first major event to occur along the San Andreas fault zone since the San Francisco earthquake. A house damaged by the Loma Prieta earthquake. Photo credit: U. Geological Survey.

On October 1, , a magnitude 5. It caused eight deaths. More vulnerable types of residences , such as those not anchored to their foundations, those constructed of masonry, or houses built over garages with large door openings, sustained the most damage. On July 21, , a magnitude 6. The quake fractured ground in some places, caused rockslides and landslides in others, and caused significant property damage. Damage included broken ceiling tiles, plaster, chimneys, windows and walls at buildings in Bishop, as well as damage to homes and utility lines in Chalfant when mobilehomes were shaken off their supports.

The earthquake was felt as far away as Salt Lake City, Utah. Foreshocks had been felt for up to three weeks prior. On the morning of July 13, , a magnitude 5. Twenty-nine people were hurt, and one person died. The damage, to at least 50 buildings, stretched from Newport Beach to San Diego , and there was also a small landslide in eastern San Diego County. There was a large aftershock sequence, also offshore. On July 8, , a magnitude 5. It caused at least 29 injuries, damaged or destroyed more than 50 homes in the Palm Springs-Morongo Valley area and caused landslides.

This magnitude 6. Damage was concentrated closer to the town of Morgan Hill and the Anderson Reservoir. Longtime residents of the Central Valley will remember the Coalinga earthquake of May 2, , which occurred on a previously unknown fault and injured 94 people, mostly from furniture and other items falling or being thrown about, and from people being knocked to the ground from the shaking.

An assessment by the American Red Cross stated that single-family houses and 33 apartment buildings were almost destroyed; single-family houses, 94 mobilehomes and 39 apartment buildings sustained major damage; and single-family houses, 22 mobilehomes and 70 apartment buildings sustained minor damage.

Failed cornice and exterior walls of a building in the restricted area of heavily damaged downtown Coalinga. May 4, On November 8, , a magnitude 7. Six people were injured, and aftershocks were felt for days. The earthquake was felt in parts of California, Oregon and Nevada.

Considering the size of the quake, damage was light, although structural damage did occur. Chimneys fell and, in Fields Landing, at least four wood-frame houses were shifted off their foundations, with two falling partly to the ground. Also, Tompkins Hill Road overpass suffered partial collapse, and there were a few minor landslides , areas of liquefaction , and ground cracks.

On May 25, , around a. In the next 16 minutes, five shocks between magnitude 4. Within 48 hours of the initial quake, 72 magnitude 4. There were also thousands of shakes under magnitude 3.

There were also widespread landslides and rockfalls. In the middle of the night on February 25, , a magnitude 5. It was not considered a major earthquake or even a highly damaging earthquake—no injuries were reported—but it did cause landslides that closed Highway 74 between Spring Crest and Palm Springs, and it also caused a fire in Rancho Mirage when a gas line broke in a home.

Additionally, minor damage, such as broken dishes and windows, was reported in many parts of Southern California. On October 15, , a magnitude 6. The quake destroyed two houses and 11 commercial buildings and damaged more than 1, houses and more than commercial buildings. The Imperial County Services building in El Centro had to be razed after the eastern part of the building partly collapsed. This included damage to chimneys in older houses, broken glassware in stores, and structural damage to five buildings in the town of Gilroy.

For example, in Gilroy, a wall cracked in the City Hall building, and a ceiling caved in inside a room within the Municipal Courthouse. The earthquake damaged a fire station at Pacheco Pass, and a nearby lookout station was vacated because of damage, as well. This earthquake was felt near Bakersfield and Sacramento, and at least aftershocks were recorded. In the late afternoon of August 13, , a magnitude 5. Notable damage included a freight train being derailed, a roof collapsing, and several buildings and at least one bridge being damaged.

By amazing coincidence, just one day before the earthquake and its aftershocks happened, four new seismographs were installed in the area near the epicenter! It was felt in many parts of Northern California and Western Nevada. This earthquake also caused structural damage cracked chimneys, walls, windows and plaster at several schools, homes and hospitals in southern Butte County. On February 9, , a magnitude 6. More than 2, people were injured.

Several other hospitals were also damaged, and newly constructed freeway overpasses collapsed. Had the quake struck at a busier time of day, loss of life would have likely been even greater.

Seismic shaking, compression and extension along the length of the roadway were responsible for the damage in this image.

This view, looking east, shows the overpass, which was completed although not all segments were yet in service , as well as San Fernando Valley Juvenile Hall at right. Feb 11, On April 8, , a magnitude 6. It was felt as far away as the Yosemite Valley, Fresno and Las Vegas, and it caused damage across much of Southern California: power lines severed in San Diego County , collapsed ceilings in the Imperial Valley, cracked plaster in Los Angeles , landslides close to the epicenter, and minor surface rupture that cracked Highway The earthquake also caused small displacements along the Superstition Hills fault, Imperial fault and Banning-Mission Creek fault, miles from the epicenter.

On September 12, , a magnitude 5. Damage such as fallen chimneys and cracked walls occurred in nearby Loyalton, Sierraville, Boca, Hirschdale and Hobart Mills. There were landslides and rockslides, and pipelines, bridges, dams and roads were also affected.

On June 27, , a magnitude 6. Luckily, little damage was reported, because the area was not well-populated. There had been five magnitude 6 earthquakes in the same area prior to the earthquake, occurring in , , , and Two earthquakes in March , a magnitude 5. One death is attributed to the March 22 earthquake.

In Daly City, chimneys were damaged, and there was some minor damage at homes near the ocean west of Daly City. In San Francisco , the earthquakes damaged chimneys, plaster, windows and merchandise. There were also cracks on the shoulder of Highway 1, as well as landslides blocking the roadway near Mussel Rock. On December 21, , a magnitude 6.

Some underground utilities were also damaged, and a water tank collapsed. On March 19, , a magnitude 6. The magnitude 7. It was felt over a large area, including in Nevada, San Francisco and San Diego —and even caused damage in these locations.

Hundreds of buildings in the Kern County area were damaged, and at least buildings had to be torn down as a result of this earthquake. There was extensive damage to a railroad section, and to land used for agriculture and irrigation. On December 4, , a magnitude 6. Fortunately, no lives were lost. It was felt as far north as Bakersfield, as far west as Catalina Island, as far east as Central Arizona and as far south as Mexico. Every property consists of a unique combination of geologic and structural factors that must be considered to determine what might happen to a house during an earthquake.

Therefore, an individual site study is necessary. Geologic factors include: type of Determining your risk with regard to earthquakes, or more precisely shaking from earthquakes, isn't as simple as finding the nearest fault.

The National Hazard Maps use all available data to estimate the chances of shaking What is seismic hazard? What is a seismic hazard map? How are they made? How are they used? Why are there different maps, and which one should I use? Seismic hazard is the hazard associated with potential earthquakes in a particular area, and a seismic hazard map shows the relative hazards in different areas.

The maps are made by considering what we currently know about: Past faults and earthquakes The behavior of seismic waves as they travel through different parts of the U. Filter Total Items: Detweiler, Shane T. View Citation. Detweiler, S. Hudnut, Kenneth W. Hudnut, K. Geological Survey Fact Sheet —, 6 p. Year Published: UCERF3: A new earthquake forecast for California's complex fault system With innovations, fresh data, and lessons learned from recent earthquakes, scientists have developed a new earthquake forecast model for California, a region under constant threat from potentially damaging events.

Field, Edward H. Field, E. Geological Survey —, 6 p. Lamb, Rynn M. Jones, Lucile M. Year Published: The ShakeOut Scenario This is the initial publication of the results of a cooperative project to examine the implications of a major earthquake in southern California. Year Published: Earthquake hazards: a national threat Earthquakes are one of the most costly natural hazards faced by the Nation, posing a significant risk to 75 million Americans in 39 States.

Year Published: Putting down roots in earthquake country: Your handbook for the San Francisco Bay region This handbook provides information about the threat posed by earthquakes in the San Francisco Bay region and explains how you can prepare for, survive, and recover from these inevitable events.

Filter Total Items: 9. Date published: December 11, Date published: April 18, Date published: November 15, Date published: June 26, Attribution: Science Application for Risk Reduction. Date published: April 8, Date published: October 17, Read This Next Wild parakeets have taken a liking to London. Animals Wild Cities Wild parakeets have taken a liking to London Love them or hate them, there's no denying their growing numbers have added an explosion of color to the city's streets.

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