Boy, you people really get off topic fast! No one really addressed my question, concerning the recent paucity of magnitude 5.0 or greter earthquakes and the length of time between them.

Thank you, Don, for supplying the table up to 1973. It appears that from the turn of the last century, that there were several long periods that went without a 5.0 or greater; however, I'm not sure about the reliability of the figures from the early 20th century or not.

Nevertheless, the leaders from 1899 to 1973 are;

From 1899-1905 -- approximately 5 yrs, 1 mo;
From 1910-1915 -- approximately 5 yrs, 1 mo;
From 1930-1933 -- approximately 2 yrs, 6 mo;
From 1958-1961 -- approximately 2 yrs, 2 mo;
From 1965-1968 -- approximately 2 yrs, 6 mo.

I don't know about the period from 1973 to 2005.

What does that prove? Absolutely nothing. What does it show? That it is probable that it could still be a very long wait before there is more sizeable activity in California.

Barbara