QuakeIndex

Fault · California

Banning fault

18 kmlong (11 mi), as mapped
not measuredhow fast it slips
< 15,000 yearssince it last broke the surface
64quakes of M2.5+ within 10 km since 2016

In plain English

Its most recent surface rupture is younger than 15,000 years.

The largest earthquake recorded near it was M 6.7 in 1899 (The 1899 San Jacinto, California Earthquake) — about 350,000 times the energy of an M3.0, the size people start to feel. It released about 170 kilotons of TNT.

This week vs. its last ten years

0/100

quiet

0 quakes of M1.5+ within 5 km of the trace in the last 7 days — busier than 0% of weeks since 2016. A normal week: 0–1.

Computed from the USGS catalogue · a description of the past, not a forecast · method

San Andreas faultElsinore faultSan Jacinto faultNewport-Inglewood-Rose Canyon faultLenwood-Lockhart faultHelendale-South Lockhart faultSan Gabriel faultSierra Madre faultSan Diego Trough faultCalico-Hidalgo faultPisgah-Bullion faultCamp Rock-Emerson-Copper Mountain faultPinto Mountain fault (includes Morongo Valley fault)North Frontal thrust systemJohnson Valley faultLavic Lake faultMesquite Lake faultSan Gorgonio Pass faultExtra faultBullion Mountains faultMecca Hills faultHomestead Valley faultSan Onofre faultSan Joaquin Hills thrustCleghorn faultIndio Hills Fault ZoneBurnt Mountain faultCrafton Hills faultCoachella Fan Fault ZoneEureka Peak faultLong Canyon faultSkeleton Canyon faultOld Woman Springs faultRed Hill-Etiwanda Avenue faultBeaumont Plain fault M 6.7 · 1899 · The 1899 San Jacinto, California Earthquake M 6.7 · 1918 · The 1918 San Jacinto, California Earthquake
The Banning fault as mapped at the surface (glowing), with the other mapped faults nearby, 64 of the M2.5+ earthquakes within 10 km of it since 2016 (dots), and the epicentres of the large historic earthquakes recorded near it (rings). Traces: USGS Quaternary Fault and Fold Database. Historic epicentres are estimates.

Every year since 2016

Earthquakes of M2.5+ with an epicentre within 10 km of the mapped trace. Near is not the same as on: some will have slipped on neighbouring faults.

The big ones recorded near it

  1. M 6.7 The 1899 San Jacinto, California Earthquake
    December 25, 1899 · epicentre 20 km from the trace
  2. M 6.7 The 1918 San Jacinto, California Earthquake
    April 21, 1918 · epicentre 23 km from the trace
  3. M 4.5 11km N of Cabazon, CA
    May 8, 2018 · epicentre 8 km from the trace
  4. M 4.4 4km NNW of Banning, CA
    January 6, 2016 · epicentre on the trace

Before 1973 from the USGS ComCat historical catalogue (within 25 km; epicentres of old earthquakes are estimates). Since 2016, M4+ within 10 km.

Most recent near it

  1. M 2.5 6 km NE of Cabazon, CA
    2026-07-17 · 9 km from the trace
  2. M 3.0 13 km N of Cabazon, CA
    2026-04-29 · 9 km from the trace
  3. M 3.4 10 km NNE of Cabazon, CA
    2026-04-26 · 9 km from the trace
  4. M 3.1 7 km NNW of Banning, CA
    2026-04-04 · 3 km from the trace
  5. M 3.6 4 km S of Banning, CA
    2026-02-17 · 8 km from the trace
  6. M 2.9 10 km NNE of Cabazon, CA
    2025-12-24 · 8 km from the trace

Neighbouring faults

Fault trace, slip rate and age: USGS Quaternary Fault and Fold Database (public domain), simplified for the web. Earthquakes: USGS ComCat. QuakeIndex does not forecast earthquakes; a fault's history describes the past. For early warning use ShakeAlert.