M6.0 Earthquake near San Diego Country Estates, California — 14 April 2025
A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.0 was recorded near San Diego Country Estates, California on , with an epicentre 3 km northeast of San Diego Country Estates, at a focal depth of 9.0 km.
Time (UTC): 2025-04-14 17:08:27
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 6.0 (strong)
Focal depth: 9.0 km (shallow)
Epicentre: 33.0337, -116.7580
Location: 3 km NE of San Diego Country Estates, California
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Automatic
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground.
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake radiates roughly 15,080 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 554, which is below the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at 33.0337, -116.7580 — 3 km northeast of San Diego Country Estates. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 1.2 earthquake 23 km north of here on 31 July 2026.
Why the 9 km depth matters
At 9 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M6.0 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
520 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 5.2.
22 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.2 event near Julian on 14 April 2025. This M6.0 event released about 15 times more energy than that event.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the April 2025 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M1.2 earthquake near Lake Henshaw, CA — (23 km N)
- M0.9 earthquake near Julian, CA — (30 km E)
- M1.0 earthquake near La Mesa, CA — (37 km SW)
- M3.0 earthquake near Palomar Observatory, CA — (40 km NNW)
- M0.8 earthquake near Pine Valley, CA — (47 km ESE)
- M0.8 earthquake near Borrego Springs, CA — (50 km NE)
- M1.9 earthquake near La Jolla, CA — (51 km WSW)
- M0.3 earthquake near Borrego Springs, CA — (51 km NE)
- M0.7 earthquake near Anza, CA — (52 km NNE)
- M0.6 earthquake near Anza, CA — (55 km NNE)
Other magnitude 6 earthquakes worldwide
- M5.9 earthquake near Colonia, Micronesia —
- M5.8 earthquake near Kermadec Islands region —
- M5.9 earthquake near Kermadec Islands region —
- M5.9 earthquake near Brisas Barra de Suchiate, Mexico —
- M5.8 earthquake near Ust’-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia —
- M5.8 earthquake near Oula Xiuma, China —
- M5.8 earthquake near Atka, Alaska —
- M5.8 earthquake near Atka, Alaska —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 6.0 earthquake?
Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground. A magnitude 6.0 earthquake radiates roughly 15,080 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near San Diego Country Estates?
At 9 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
Was the M6.0 earthquake near San Diego Country Estates felt?
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M6.0 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
Have there been aftershocks?
520 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 5.2.
How often do earthquakes happen near San Diego Country Estates?
22 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.2 event near Julian on 14 April 2025. This M6.0 event released about 15 times more energy than that event.