Stanislaus Hit by Swarm of Earthquakes, Including Largest in 100 Years

Stanislaus County was hit with a barrage of earthquakes on Monday, with the highest registering as 4.4 magnitude at 9:13 p.m. That’s the largest earthquake recorded in the region in a century, according to USGS Geologist Austin Elliott.  

In all, five temblors occurred near the towns of Patterson and Westley. You can see the event map here.

There were no reports of major damage, but the series of quakes had people talking about the potential of a larger event. Elliott said it’s possible, but unlikely, that the swarm was an indicator of something bigger to come. 

Either way, “now is a good of time as any to have an emergency plan,” Stanislaus County OES posted on Facebook. “Visit www.ready.gov/earthquakes for more details on planning for earthquakes.”

There are a number of faults in the region, but geologist were unable to pinpoint a specific one as the cause of Monday’s swarm.