USGS · September 12, 2026
Magnitude 3.4 earthquake — 26 km ESE of Avalon, CA
A magnitude 3.4 earthquake was recorded near 26 km ESE of Avalon, CA on Sep 12, 2026, 04:13 AM (local time at the epicentre — PDT, UTC-7), at a depth of about 10.8 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 5 people · community intensity II (weak)Shallow (0–70 km)Automatic solution — subject to revision
Updated 2026-09-12 13:45 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.4 · local (Richter) magnitude
- Location
- 26 km ESE of Avalon, CA
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 12, 2026, 04:13 AM — PDT, UTC-7
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-12 11:13 UTC
- Depth
- 10.8 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 33.257, -118.065
- Felt reports
- Felt by 5 people · community intensity II (weak)
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 180 / 1000 · routine event
- Solution quality
- 107 seismic stations used · 113° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Automatic solution — subject to revision
- 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.
People who reported it described intensity II (Weak): Felt by a few people at rest, mostly on upper floors.
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 3,799 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 15,749,400 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Avalon | 26.2 km WNW | 3,799 |
| Laguna Beach | 41.1 km NE | 23,365 |
| Dana Point | 41.3 km NE | 34,181 |
| Newport Beach | 42.1 km NNE | 87,127 |
| Laguna Niguel | 44.4 km NE | 65,806 |
| San Joaquin Hills | 44.7 km NNE | 3,176 |
| Costa Mesa | 44.8 km NNE | 113,204 |
| Huntington Beach | 45.2 km N | 201,899 |
| San Clemente | 46.1 km ENE | 65,526 |
| San Juan Capistrano | 46.2 km NE | 36,454 |
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
7 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 26 km ESE of Avalon, CA
SeismoWatch pushes a notification to your Android phone within minutes of a matching earthquake — for the area and magnitude you choose.
Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 26 km ESE of Avalon, CA earthquake?
Magnitude 3.4 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 10.8 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?
Sep 12, 2026, 04:13 AM (local time at the epicentre — PDT, UTC-7). In universal time: 2026-09-12 11:13 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 5 people · community intensity II (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 Avalon, 26.2 km WNW (population 3,799).
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 7 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) and, in Venezuela, FUNVISIS. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.