2.5

M2.5 Earthquake 7km W of Searles Valley, CADecember 15, 2021

2021-12-15 18:33:37 UTC (2021-12-15) · approx. 10:33 AM UTC-8 local

MagnitudeM2.5(ml)
Time18:33 UTC10:33 AM UTC-8
Depth6.8 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates35.777°, -117.476°
Felt by1DYFI response
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 15, 2021 at 18:33 UTC, a magnitude 2.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 7km W of Searles Valley, CA, at a depth of 6.8 km and coordinates 35.7770°, -117.4760°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 2.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 76.5 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 31 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 35.78°, -117.48°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M2.5 earthquake near 7km W of Searles Valley, CA

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
2.5 ml
Depth
6.8 km
shallow crustal
Location
35.7770°N
-117.4760°E
Felt Reports
1
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
2.5
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
ci40128400
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
94
Stations Used
34
Azimuthal Gap
45.0°
Min Station Distance
0.082°
RMS Residual
0.15 sec
Last Updated
2022-02-24 21:01:25 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 2.5 earthquake near Searles Valley, CA?

The magnitude 2.5 earthquake that struck 7km W of Searles Valley, CA on December 15, 2021 at 18:33 UTC had a depth of 6.8 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 2.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 2.5 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: ci40128400). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 15, 2021). M2.5 Earthquake 7km W of Searles Valley, CADecember 15, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/ci40128400/