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The 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake occurred at about 8:20 a.m. (Pacific time) on January 9 in central and Southern California.One of the largest recorded earthquakes in the United States, [6] with an estimated moment magnitude of 7.9, it ruptured the southern part of the San Andreas Fault for a length of about 225 miles (350 km), between Parkfield and Wrightwood.
Early studies indicated the earthquake was on the Newport-Inglewood fault, but a later study in 2002 indicated the San Andreas fault was the cause. Other faults have been suggested, but the San Andreas fault is considered the most likely fault. Around 40 people died, and the magnitude ranged from 6.9-7.5. [32]
The earliest known earthquake in the U.S. state of California was documented in 1769 by the Spanish explorers and Catholic missionaries of the Portolá expedition as they traveled northward from San Diego along the Santa Ana River near the present site of Los Angeles. Ship captains and other explorers also documented earthquakes.
This section of the San Andreas, located near the tiny central Californian town of Parkfield, last shook back in 2004. ... 9 earthquake. The fault line absolutely devastated San Francisco back in ...
In Southern California, the last major earthquake on the San Andreas fault was in 1857, estimated at somewhere around a magnitude 7.8. But even moderate quakes along the Puente Hills thrust fault ...
Scientists believe they may have found a reason why the San Andreas Fault, the largest seismic hazard in California, has been dormant for more than three centuries.. The average timespan between ...
The great earthquake of 1857, which became known as the Fort Tejon earthquake, was centered nearly 100 miles away. The earthquake became associated with the fort by name because the area near the epicenter was sparsely populated. The most reliable report of the event was issued from the fort, nearly 93 miles (149.7 km) distant.
Earthquakes are common on the West Coast, with multiple plate boundaries like the San Andreas fault making geologic activity more likely. They are rarer on the East Coast, but they do happen .