USGS · August 5, 2026
Magnitude 4.4 earthquake — 31 km NNW of Covelo, CA
A magnitude 4.4 earthquake was recorded near 31 km NNW of Covelo, CA on Aug 5, 2026, 03:21 PM (local time at the epicentre — PDT, UTC-7), at a depth of about 7.3 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 122 people · community intensity IV (light)Shaking VPAGER GreenShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-03 16:47 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 4.4 · moment magnitude
- Location
- 31 km NNW of Covelo, CA
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 5, 2026, 03:21 PM — PDT, UTC-7
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-08-05 22:21 UTC
- Depth
- 7.3 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 40.022, -123.446
- Felt reports
- Felt by 122 people · community intensity IV (light)
- Estimated shaking
- V · Moderate
- PAGER impact alert
- Green — No casualties or significant damage expected.
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 346 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 51 seismic stations used · 28° 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 V (Moderate): Felt by nearly everyone; unstable objects overturn and some plaster cracks.
People who reported it described intensity IV (Light): Felt indoors by many; dishes and windows rattle and parked cars rock.
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 66,508 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Covelo | 30.5 km SSE | 1,255 |
| Redway | 33.9 km WNW | 1,225 |
| Laytonville | 37.3 km S | 1,227 |
| Hayfork | 63.2 km NNE | 2,368 |
| Brooktrails | 64.5 km S | 3,235 |
| Willits | 68.6 km S | 4,861 |
| Fort Bragg | 71.1 km SSW | 7,289 |
| Rio Dell | 77.1 km NW | 3,387 |
| Hydesville | 80.4 km NW | 1,237 |
| Redwood Valley | 86.7 km SSE | 1,729 |
Earthquake history in this area
No earthquake of magnitude 4.5+ has 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 2.6 10 km N of Lake Pillsbury, CA
M 2.5 28 km NW of Weaverville, CA
M 2.6 5 km S of Petrolia, CA
M 2.7 32 km NNW of Covelo, CAFelt · 1
M 2.5 9 km E of Rancho Tehama Reserve, CA
M 2.6 32 km NW of Covelo, CA
M 3.2 31 km NNW of Covelo, CAFelt · 5
M 3.9 31 km NNW of Covelo, CAFelt · 8
M 4.0 31 km NNW of Covelo, CAFelt · 7
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 31 km NNW of Covelo, 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 31 km NNW of Covelo, CA earthquake?
Magnitude 4.4 (moment magnitude), at a depth of 7.3 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?
Aug 5, 2026, 03:21 PM (local time at the epicentre — PDT, UTC-7). In universal time: 2026-08-05 22:21 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 122 people · community intensity IV (light). Felt by nearly everyone; unstable objects overturn and some plaster cracks.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Covelo, 30.5 km SSE (population 1,255).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
10 further events were recorded within 100 km of the epicentre 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.