M 7.1 - Santa Barbara Channel, California

This major earthquake caused damage in what are now Santa Barbara, Ventura, and northern Los Angeles Counties. One fatality was reported, but many lives probably were saved by a strong foreshock about 15 minutes earlier that sent alarmed residents fleeing from buildings. The earthquakes also may have generated a tsunami because there were several reports of sea waves following the earthquakes. The sea waves reportedly did not cause loss of life or substantial loss of property.

At Mission Santa Barbara, all buildings sustained many cracks, and one chapel was flattened. The ground "opened up" in this area to such an extent "that it caused horror." At the Santa Barbara Presidio, all the buildings were left uninhabitable. The church at Mission La Purisima Concepcion (Lompoc) was ruined; some of the other buildings were "flattened to the ground;" and others required extensive repair. Part of the adobe garden wall collapsed, and that part remaining nearly fell. Damage at Mission Santa Ynez was considerable but not so severe as at Missions Santa Barbara and La Purisima. A corner of the church fell; many new houses were demolished; and many support walls were cracked. Property loss was less severe at Mission San Buenaventura (Ventura) and Mission San Fernando Rey. Aftershocks were reported at Santa Barbara through April 1813. (Ref. 38, 56, 368, 521.)

Maximum observed Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) VIII

Abridged from Seismicity of the United States, 1568-1989 (Revised), by Carl W. Stover and Jerry L. Coffman, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1527, United States Government Printing Office, Washington: 1993.