World Map › Major Earthquakes Since 1900 › 1940
Historic Earthquake
1940 El Centro Earthquake
19 May 1940 · United States of America
On 19 May 1940 at 04:36 UTC, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the United States of America, at a depth of 16 km. It occurred on the Pacific Plate, 8 km from its boundary with the North American Plate (continental transform fault). It killed at least 9 people.
- Date
- 19 May 1940
- Time
- 04:36 UTC
- Magnitude
- 7.2
- Depth
- 16 km
- Maximum Intensity
- X (Mercalli)
- Deaths
- 9
- Estimated Damage
- 33 million US dollars
- Plate
- Pacific Plate
- Country
- United States of America
- Nearest Volcano
- Salton Buttes (53 km)
Nearby Major Earthquakes
Other major earthquakes recorded within 300 km.
- 2010Baja California · M 7.22 deaths
- 19991999 Hector Mine Earthquake · M 7.2
- 19921992 Landers Earthquake · M 7.63 deaths
- 1934Baja, Imperial Valley · M 7.1
- 1933Long Beach · M 6.3120 deaths
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Significant Earthquake Database (doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K) · Wikidata · Bird (2003), PB2002 · Natural Earth