Below is a clickable map of southern California, with epicenters of historic earthquakes (as far back as 1812) of particular note plotted over the background topography. Shown, too, are major highways (in tan) and the surface traces of major faults (in greenish-blue).
This map does not show the epicenters of all earthquakes greater
than magnitude 4.5 recorded in the southern California
area since the 19th century. It is meant as an overview of
large and destructive, fairly recent, or unusual earthquakes.
The magnitudes given by the scale are generally moment magnitudes
(denoted Mw), for earthquakes above magnitude 6, and
local magnitudes (denoted ML),
for most earthquakes below magnitude 6 and for earthquakes which occurred
before accurate instrumental measurements of magnitude were
possible (i.e. before 1933).
RELATED INFORMATION
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Chronological Index
Search for a particular earthquake by date.
Faults of Southern California
Information about faults can be obtained
by clicking on fault traces on one of five maps, or by searching
an alphabetical index.