The shock was centered near the Mexico–United States border and takes its name from a large dry lake bed in Baja California, Mexico.

[4] The area in which the perceived intensity of shaking reached VIII (Severe) or more was centered on the mapped fault rupture.

[3] Susan Hough and Austin Elliot estimated a moment magnitude of 7.2 based on their reassessment of the reported Mercalli intensities.

At the abandoned Carrizo Creek Stage Station, in what is now Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in eastern San Diego county,[6] poorly built masonry was damaged and all adobe buildings were destroyed.

[2][4] At Hook Ranch and Laguna Station the shaking was strong enough to throw people off their feet and at Dulzura Canyon and McCain Valley the ground was seen to move in waves.