Earthquakes in Oakland, California
Last earthquake: 18 hours ago · 62 in past 30 days · Largest: M3.6 · Population 433K
Last updated: June 13, 2026 at 12:28 PM UTC · Data: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program
No significant earthquakes recorded near Oakland recently. Last M2.5+: 5 days ago.
Quick Facts — Earthquakes in Oakland
- Population
- 433K
- Seismic activity level
- very high
- Nearest major fault
- Hayward Fault (0.5 km)
- Largest recorded nearby
- M6.9 (1989 Loma Prieta earthquake)
- 30-year probability M6.7+
- 72% (UCERF3)
- Earthquakes past 30 days
- 62
- Last significant (M2.5+)
- 5 days ago
- 2026 total (M1.0+)
- 582
Oakland experienced a magnitude 3.6 earthquake 5 days ago 3 km SW of Alamo, CA, at a depth of 13.0 km. Over the past 7 days, 14 earthquakes (M1.0+) have been recorded within 50 km.
Oakland sits in the very high category for U.S. seismic activity. The largest earthquake in or near Oakland since records began was the magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, which struck approximately 80 km south of the city.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey's UCERF3 model, there is approximately a 72% probability of a magnitude 6.7 or greater earthquake within 100 km of Oakland in the next 30 years, and a 51% probability of a magnitude 7.0 or greater event. The largest credible earthquake predicted for the Oakland area is a magnitude 7.0 event on the Hayward Fault, which lies 0.5 km from downtown Oakland. Source: UCERF3 (Field et al. 2015), Table 6 — Hayward Fault Zone (32% individual fault probability)
Oakland sits in a region characterized by the San Andreas transform fault system, where the Pacific and North American plates slide past each other at roughly 46 mm per year. Beyond the Hayward Fault, secondary fault systems include the Calaveras Fault and San Andreas Fault (Peninsula). View all earthquakes in California.
2026 Activity vs Historical Average
Recent Significant Earthquakes Near Oakland
Earthquake Map — Oakland Area
Fault Lines Near Oakland
| Fault Name | Type | Distance | Max Credible Mag | Last Major Rupture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayward Fault | right-lateral strike-slip | 0.5 km | M7.0 | 1868 (M6.8) |
| Calaveras Fault | right-lateral strike-slip | 25 km | M7.0 | 1984 (M6.2 Morgan Hill) |
| San Andreas Fault (Peninsula) | right-lateral strike-slip | 25 km | M7.9 | 1906 (M7.9) |
| Rodgers Creek Fault | right-lateral strike-slip | 50 km | M7.1 | paleoseismic ~1700 CE |
Recent Earthquakes (Last 30 Days)
Dataset at a glance — Oakland
Over the past 30 days, Oakland has recorded 62 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater in our tracker. The remaining 2 fell in the M2.5–M3.9 band. By depth: 62 shallow (<70 km). 34 of the epicenters were offshore. 8 events produced at least one felt report, totalling 1,774 citizen submissions to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Focal depths ranged from -0.3 km to 24.5 km. 49 of the 62 solutions have been reviewed by a USGS seismologist; the remaining 13 are automatic and may be refined.
Leading the list is a magnitude 3.6 event near 3 km SW of Alamo, CA at 13.0 km depth, which drew 1,755 felt reports from the public. The second-ranked event, at magnitude 2.6 near 7 km E of Fremont, CA, trails by 1.0 magnitude units — a meaningful gap that makes the leader clearly dominant in energy release. Rounding out the top three is a magnitude 2.4 earthquake near 2 km WNW of Concord, CA.
Each row in the table below includes a narrative summary of the event, ordered by time. Use the column headers to sort or filter by magnitude.
| Time ↓ | Mag ↕ | Location ↕ | Depth ↕ | Felt ↕ | MMI | Alert | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 hours ago 2026-06-12 17:50:24 UTC | 2.4md | 5 km ENE of Vallejo, CA 38.136°, -122.185° | 0.3 km | - | - | - | Auto | USGS → |
On June 12, 2026, Oakland registered a magnitude 2.4 earthquake 5 km ENE of Vallejo, CA at 17:50 UTC. At a depth of just 0.3 km, this was a very shallow event, close enough to the surface that modest magnitudes can produce significant local shaking. It ranks as the fourth largest event in the current dataset. The epicenter is at 38.136°, -122.185°. The automatic solution is preliminary and may be refined as additional station data arrives. See the M2.4 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
3 days ago 2026-06-09 20:52:10 UTC | 2.4md | 2 km WNW of Concord, CA 37.976°, -122.036° | 16.3 km | - | - | - | Auto | USGS → |
Seismographs logged a magnitude 2.4 earthquake 2 km WNW of Concord, CA with origin time 20:52 UTC on June 9, 2026. Coming 53 hours after a magnitude 3.6 earthquake in the immediate vicinity, it is most likely an aftershock of that larger rupture. It ranks as the third largest event in the current dataset. The event originated approximately 16.3 km below the surface, classifying it as shallow crustal. Coordinates: 37.976°, -122.036°. The automatic solution is preliminary and may be refined as additional station data arrives. See the M2.4 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
5 days ago 2026-06-07 20:27:03 UTC | 2.1md | 4 km ESE of Union City, CA 37.581°, -121.977° | 8.2 km | 1 | - | - | Auto | USGS → |
The USGS recorded this magnitude 2.1 earthquake 4 km ESE of Union City, CA at 20:27 UTC on June 7, 2026. A small number of nearby observers (1) submitted felt reports to the USGS. At a depth of 8.2 km, the event was shallow crustal. Coordinates: 37.581°, -121.977°. The automatic solution is preliminary and may be refined as additional station data arrives. See the M2.1 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
5 days ago 2026-06-07 15:37:48 UTC | 3.6mw | 3 km SW of Alamo, CA 37.831°, -122.059° | 13.0 km | 1,755 | III | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
On June 7, 2026 at 15:37 UTC, a magnitude 3.6 earthquake struck 3 km SW of Alamo, CA. More than 1,755 people across the region submitted felt reports to the USGS Did You Feel It? system, indicating the shaking was widely perceived. In the 72 hours after this event, the USGS recorded 4 smaller earthquakes within 20 km, consistent with an ongoing aftershock sequence rooted here. Of every earthquake currently listed for Oakland, this one generated the most felt reports from the public. It is the largest earthquake currently listed for Oakland over the past 30 days. Maximum shaking intensity peaked at MMI 3.2 (light). The hypocenter lay at 13.0 km, placing this in the shallow crustal category. The event was offshore — common for earthquakes along subduction zones and transform plate boundaries. The epicenter is at 37.831°, -122.059°. See the M3.6 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-06-04 2026-06-04 14:17:31 UTC | 2.6md | 7 km E of Fremont, CA 37.532°, -121.907° | 8.6 km | 8 | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
A magnitude 2.6 earthquake was recorded 7 km E of Fremont, CA on June 4, 2026 at 14:17 UTC. In the 72 hours after this event, the USGS recorded 4 smaller earthquakes within 20 km, consistent with an ongoing aftershock sequence rooted here. It ranks as the second largest event in the current dataset. A small number of nearby observers (8) submitted felt reports to the USGS. At a depth of 8.6 km, the event was shallow crustal. The event was offshore — common for earthquakes along subduction zones and transform plate boundaries. See the M2.6 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-05-27 2026-05-27 08:23:04 UTC | 2.1md | 3 km SW of Alamo, CA 37.836°, -122.060° | 13.0 km | 1 | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
This magnitude 2.1 event was detected 3 km SW of Alamo, CA on May 27, 2026, with origin time 08:23 UTC. It arrived roughly 6 hours after a larger magnitude 2.2 mainshock in the same 20 km area, placing it within the typical aftershock window. A small number of nearby observers (1) submitted felt reports to the USGS. The event originated approximately 13.0 km below the surface, classifying it as shallow crustal. The event was offshore — common for earthquakes along subduction zones and transform plate boundaries. The epicenter is at 37.836°, -122.060°. The solution has been reviewed by a USGS seismologist and is considered finalized. See the M2.1 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-05-27 2026-05-27 04:24:40 UTC | 2.1md | 3 km WSW of Alamo, CA 37.836°, -122.062° | 13.3 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
Reports of a magnitude 2.1 earthquake 3 km WSW of Alamo, CA came in on May 27, 2026 at 04:24 UTC. This event falls inside the aftershock decay of a nearby magnitude 2.2 earthquake that occurred about 2 hours earlier. This was a shallow crustal earthquake, focused at 13.3 km depth. Geolocation places the event at 37.836°N, -122.062°E. The solution has been reviewed by a USGS seismologist and is considered finalized. See the M2.1 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-05-27 2026-05-27 02:34:48 UTC | 2.2md | 3 km SW of Alamo, CA 37.834°, -122.062° | 12.6 km | 2 | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
At 02:34 UTC on May 27, 2026, a magnitude 2.2 tremor occurred 3 km SW of Alamo, CA. In the 72 hours after this event, the USGS recorded 11 smaller earthquakes within 20 km, consistent with an ongoing aftershock sequence rooted here. It ranks as the fifth largest event in the current dataset. A small number of nearby observers (2) submitted felt reports to the USGS. The hypocenter lay at 12.6 km, placing this in the shallow crustal category. The event was offshore — common for earthquakes along subduction zones and transform plate boundaries. See the M2.2 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-05-27 2026-05-27 01:24:12 UTC | 2.0md | 4 km NE of San Leandro, CA 37.750°, -122.124° | 11.2 km | 1 | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
A magnitude 2.0 seismic event took place 4 km NE of San Leandro, CA on May 27, 2026 at 01:24 UTC. In the 72 hours after this event, the USGS recorded 9 smaller earthquakes within 20 km, consistent with an ongoing aftershock sequence rooted here. A small number of nearby observers (1) submitted felt reports to the USGS. The hypocenter lay at 11.2 km, placing this in the shallow crustal category. The event was offshore — common for earthquakes along subduction zones and transform plate boundaries. Coordinates: 37.750°, -122.124°. See the M2.0 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
Common Questions About Earthquakes in Oakland
How often do earthquakes happen in Oakland?
Oakland experiences frequent earthquake activity. The area averages 70 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater per year, with 0.9 reaching magnitude 5.0 or higher. In the past 30 days, 62 earthquakes (M1.0+) have been recorded within 50 km of the city.
What was the biggest earthquake to hit Oakland?
The largest earthquake in or near Oakland since records began was the magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, which struck approximately 80 km south of the city.
What is the earthquake risk in Oakland?
Earthquakes cannot be predicted with precision. However, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates there is approximately a 72% probability of a magnitude 6.7 or greater earthquake within 100 km of Oakland in the next 30 years. The most likely source is the Hayward Fault, which has a maximum credible magnitude of 7.0.
What fault lines are near Oakland?
The Hayward Fault runs approximately 0.5 km from Oakland and is the most significant local seismic threat, with a maximum credible magnitude of 7.0. Other nearby faults include the Calaveras Fault (25 km), the San Andreas Fault (Peninsula) (25 km), the Rodgers Creek Fault (50 km).
Was there an earthquake in Oakland today?
No earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater have been recorded near Oakland in the past 24 hours. The most recent M2.5+ event was 5 days ago.
How do I prepare for an earthquake in Oakland?
If you feel shaking, immediately Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Drop to your hands and knees, take cover under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on until shaking stops. Stay away from windows and exterior walls. Given the proximity of the Hayward Fault (max credible M7.0), residents should have an earthquake emergency kit prepared. See our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.
About This Page
This page is maintained by Earthquake Tracker, an independent seismic activity reporting service. Earthquake data is sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program and updated every hour. Probability estimates use the USGS Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF3) for California cities. Historical earthquake data is sourced from the USGS Historical Earthquake Catalog. Fault information comes from the USGS Quaternary Fault and Fold Database and SCEC Community Fault Model.
Last data refresh: 2026-06-13T12:28:15.498Z · Last reviewed: June 13, 2026