USGS · October 6, 2026
Magnitude 3.5 earthquake near Ely, California
A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was recorded near 25 km WNW of Preston, Nevada on Oct 6, 2026, 08:34 AM (local time at the epicentre — PDT, UTC-7), at a depth of about 5.0 km, according to USGS.
USGSShaking IIIShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-10-06 17:37 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.5 · moment magnitude (regional)
- Location
- 25 km WNW of Preston, Nevada
- Local time at the epicentre
- Oct 6, 2026, 08:34 AM — PDT, UTC-7
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-10-06 15:34 UTC
- Depth
- 5.0 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 38.995, -115.338
- Felt reports
- No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
- Estimated shaking
- III · Weak
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 183 / 1000 · routine event
- Solution quality
- 7 seismic stations used · 214° azimuthal gap (less 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 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 5,892 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Ely | 47.9 km NE | 4,134 |
| McGill | 66.4 km NE | 1,148 |
| Eureka | 78.7 km NW | 610 |
Earthquake history in this area
4 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in California.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
9 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.0 19 km W of Preston, Nevada
M 3.1 19 km W of Preston, Nevada
M 3.3 20 km W of Preston, Nevada
M 4.1 20 km W of Preston, NevadaFelt · 1
M 2.6 20 km W of Preston, Nevada
M 3.3 21 km W of Preston, Nevada
M 3.0 20 km W of Preston, Nevada
M 4.1 21 km W of Preston, NevadaFelt · 7
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 25 km WNW of Preston, Nevada earthquake?
Magnitude 3.5 (moment magnitude (regional)), at a depth of 5.0 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 6, 2026, 08:34 AM (local time at the epicentre — PDT, UTC-7). In universal time: 2026-10-06 15:34 UTC.
Was it felt?
No “Did You Feel It?” reports were submitted for this event. 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 Ely, 47.9 km NE (population 4,134).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 5.3 (45km NW of Alamo, NV, 1969), and 9 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.