M6.3

M 6.3 - 279 km SSW of Avalon, California

Strong Earthquake · December 14, 2012 · 279 km SSW of Avalon, California

Key Insights

•This M6.3 strong earthquake ranks #103 out of 470 events in the database.
•At M6.3, this is 0.6 points above the database average of M5.7. Each whole magnitude point represents roughly 32x more energy released.
•At 13.0 km depth, this is classified as a shallow earthquake. Shallow quakes typically cause stronger ground shaking and more damage than deeper events (avg depth: 27 km).
•With 2,112 "Did You Feel It?" reports submitted to USGS, this was widely felt by the public. The significance score of 1091 reflects its overall community impact.

Depth

13.0 km

Tsunami

Felt Reports

2,112

Significance

1091

Earthquake Details

Magnitude	M6.3(mww)
Classification	Strong Earthquake
Location	279 km SSW of Avalon, California
Date & Time	December 14, 2012 19:36:01
Coordinates	31.0950N, 119.6600W
Depth	13.0 km (Shallow)
Tsunami	No
Felt Reports	2,112 reports submitted to USGS
CDI (Community Intensity)	4.8
MMI (Modified Mercalli)	0.0
Significance Score	1091 / 3,000
Status	reviewed

Magnitude Scale Context

Minor

3-3.9

Light

4-4.9

Moderate

5-5.9

Strong

6-6.9

Major

At M6.3, this is classified as a Strong earthquake. Earthquakes of this size can cause severe damage in populated areas within tens of miles of the epicenter.

Official USGS Page: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usp000jwyb

Frequently Asked Questions

How strong was the 279 km SSW of Avalon, California earthquake?

The 279 km SSW of Avalon, California earthquake had a magnitude of 6.3 mww, classified as a "Strong" earthquake on the magnitude scale. Earthquakes of this size can cause serious damage to buildings and infrastructure over a wide area.

Where exactly did this earthquake occur and how deep was it?

This earthquake struck at coordinates 31.0950N, 119.6600W, at a depth of 13.0 km. Shallow earthquakes (under 20 km) tend to cause more surface damage than deeper events.

Did this earthquake trigger a tsunami warning?

No tsunami warning was issued for this earthquake. Earthquakes below magnitude 6.5 rarely generate dangerous tsunamis, though localized effects are possible in rare cases.

How many people felt this earthquake?

2,112 people submitted felt reports to the USGS for this earthquake. The Community Decimal Intensity (CDI) reached 4.8, indicating moderate shaking felt by most people indoors.

When did this earthquake happen and how significant was it?

This earthquake occurred on December 14, 2012 at 19:36:01. The USGS assigned it a significance score of 1091 out of a possible 3,000, which factors in magnitude, felt reports, and potential impact. This is considered a highly significant seismic event.

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Key Insights

•This M6.3 strong earthquake ranks #103 out of 470 events in the database.

•At M6.3, this is 0.6 points above the database average of M5.7. Each whole magnitude point represents roughly 32x more energy released.

•At 13.0 km depth, this is classified as a shallow earthquake. Shallow quakes typically cause stronger ground shaking and more damage than deeper events (avg depth: 27 km).

•With 2,112 "Did You Feel It?" reports submitted to USGS, this was widely felt by the public. The significance score of 1091 reflects its overall community impact.

Earthquake Details

Magnitude

M6.3(mww)

Classification

Strong Earthquake

Location

279 km SSW of Avalon, California

Date & Time

December 14, 2012 19:36:01

Coordinates

31.0950N, 119.6600W

Depth

13.0 km (Shallow)

Tsunami

Felt Reports

2,112 reports submitted to USGS

CDI (Community Intensity)

4.8

MMI (Modified Mercalli)

0.0

Significance Score

1091 / 3,000

Status

reviewed