Kern County earthquake

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On July 21, 1952, an earthquake with epicenter in Kern County, California, measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale killed 12 people. The Kern County earthquake was the largest earthquake to strike Southern California since the Fort Tejon earthquake of 1857 and the Lone Pine earthquake of 1872, causing immense and widespread damage. In addition to 12 fatalities, it was responsible for at least 18 injuries and over $50 million in property damage. It was followed by several aftershocks, at least 20 of which were magnitude 5.0 or greater. The quake occurred on the White Wolf Fault and was the second strongest quake in California in the past hundred years, second only to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Damage occurred as far away as Los Angeles, where six people were killed.