Answer:
On 9 January 1857, the San Andreas fault segment between Cholame and San Bernardino broke loose at its northwestern end, and the rupture propagated southeastward in the great Fort Tejon earthquake with a magnitude of about 7.9.
Explanation:
The Fort Tejon earthquake, which occurred on January 9, 1857, is considered the strongest earthquake that shook the state of California. It is estimated at a strength of 7.9. Its strength is therefore comparable to that of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. It occurred along the San Andreas Fault 362 kilometers between Parkfield and San Bernardino. The two plates that meet along this disturbance shifted up to nine meters during this quake.
California was still sparsely populated in 1857. Unlike the New Madrid earthquake of 1811, there are hardly any records of people who have experienced this earthquake. For this reason it is only known among seismologists. According to current research, its epicenter was located near the California city of Parkfield. However, it got its name because of the army camp Fort Tejon, which was located on the Tejon Pass, reported it.
Only one death was reported as a result of the earthquake. The person died in the collapse of an adobe house at Reed’s Ranch in Gorman, very close to the fault. Most of the buildings in Fort Tejon were badly damaged and several people were injured. Some buildings in Los Angeles were destroyed, but no major damage was reported.
