The July 1986 North Palm Springs, California, Earthquake - The North Palm Springs, California, Earthquake Sequence of July 1986

An M_L = 5.9 earthquake occurred at 09:20 (UTC) on 8 July 1986 approximately 12 km northwest of the community of North Palm Springs, California. The epicenter of this earthquake was located between the Mission Creek and Banning strands of the San Andreas fault system at 34°0.0'N, 116°36.4'W. In this section of the San Andreas fault system, there is is a high level of diffuse microseismic activity, and it is not clear which of the many mapped fault traces is presently the most active strand (e.g., Allen, 1957; Matti et aI., 1985). The hypocentral distribution of the aftershocks as well as the focal mechanisms of the main shock and a few dozen aftershocks together suggest that the earthquake probably occurred on the Banning fault.