USGS · September 3, 2026
Magnitude 2.8 earthquake — 15 km SE of Petrolia, CA
A magnitude 2.8 earthquake was recorded near 15 km SE of Petrolia, CA on Sep 3, 2026, 09:54 AM (local time at the epicentre — PDT, UTC-7), at a depth of about 11.3 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak)Shallow (0–70 km)Automatic solution — subject to revision
Updated 2026-09-04 18:14 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 2.8 · duration magnitude
- Location
- 15 km SE of Petrolia, CA
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 3, 2026, 09:54 AM — PDT, UTC-7
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-03 16:54 UTC
- Depth
- 11.3 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 40.224, -124.175
- Felt reports
- Felt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak)
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 119 / 1000 · routine event
- Solution quality
- 29 seismic stations used · 116° 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 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 129,531 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Rio Dell | 31.1 km N | 3,387 |
| Redway | 32.0 km ESE | 1,225 |
| Hydesville | 36.6 km N | 1,237 |
| Ferndale | 39.9 km N | 1,369 |
| Fortuna | 41.6 km N | 12,000 |
| Humboldt Hill | 55.8 km N | 3,414 |
| Pine Hills | 56.6 km N | 3,131 |
| Cutten | 60.7 km N | 3,108 |
| Bayview | 61.0 km N | 2,510 |
| Myrtletown | 62.9 km N | 4,675 |
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 15 km SE of Petrolia, 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 15 km SE of Petrolia, CA earthquake?
Magnitude 2.8 (duration 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?
Sep 3, 2026, 09:54 AM (local time at the epicentre — PDT, UTC-7). In universal time: 2026-09-03 16:54 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak). Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Rio Dell, 31.1 km N (population 3,387).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.2 (The 1992 Petrolia, 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.