USGS · October 5, 2026
Magnitude 3.5 earthquake near Dana Point, California
A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was recorded near 31 km SW of Dana Point, CA on Oct 5, 2026, 01:22 PM (local time at the epicentre — PDT, UTC-7), at a depth of about 11.3 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 101 people · community intensity III (weak)Shaking IIShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-10-05 22:07 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.5 · local (Richter) magnitude
- Location
- 31 km SW of Dana Point, CA
- Local time at the epicentre
- Oct 5, 2026, 01:22 PM — PDT, UTC-7
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-10-05 20:22 UTC
- Depth
- 11.3 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 33.268, -117.931
- Felt reports
- Felt by 101 people · community intensity III (weak)
- Estimated shaking
- II · Weak
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 214 / 1000 · routine event
- Solution quality
- 74 seismic stations used · 117° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- USGS
Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes
The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.
What the shaking was like
Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Estimated instrumental shaking II (Weak): Felt by a few people at rest, mostly on upper floors.
People who reported it described intensity III (Weak): Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.
Who lives nearby
About 0 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 17,484,472 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Dana Point | 31.0 km NE | 34,181 |
| Laguna Beach | 33.5 km NNE | 23,365 |
| San Clemente | 34.6 km ENE | 65,526 |
| Laguna Niguel | 35.1 km NE | 65,806 |
| San Juan Capistrano | 36.1 km NE | 36,454 |
| Avalon | 37.8 km WNW | 3,799 |
| Aliso Viejo | 38.1 km NNE | 50,195 |
| Newport Beach | 39.1 km N | 87,127 |
| San Joaquin Hills | 39.3 km NNE | 3,176 |
| Costa Mesa | 41.5 km N | 113,204 |
Earthquake history in this area
12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in California.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
10 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.6 7 km WSW of Hermosa Beach, CAFelt · 2,136
M 2.9 4 km SSE of Compton, CAFelt · 516
M 2.6 27 km SSE of Malibu, CAFelt · 4
M 2.6 4 km E of Lennox, CAFelt · 23
M 3.3 26 km ESE of Avalon, CAFelt · 9
M 3.0 26 km ESE of Avalon, CA
M 2.5 26 km ESE of Avalon, CA
M 2.6 5 km WNW of Willowbrook, CAFelt · 24
M 3.1 4 km SSE of Compton, CAFelt · 1,126
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 31 km SW of Dana Point, CA earthquake?
Magnitude 3.5 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 11.3 km. Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Exactly when did it happen?
Oct 5, 2026, 01:22 PM (local time at the epicentre — PDT, UTC-7). In universal time: 2026-10-05 20:22 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 101 people · community intensity III (weak). Felt by a few people at rest, mostly on upper floors.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Dana Point, 31.0 km NE (population 34,181).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.3 (The 1992 Landers, California Earthquake, 1992), and 10 further events were recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.
How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?
Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.
About this page
Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), in Venezuela FUNVISIS and in Brazil the RSBR through the Centro de Sismologia da USP. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.