USGS · October 13, 2026
Magnitude 3.6 earthquake near Carlsbad, United States
A magnitude 3.6 earthquake was recorded near 23 km WSW of Carlsbad, New Mexico on Oct 13, 2026, 04:39 PM (local time at the epicentre — MDT, UTC-6), at a depth of about 10.0 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 28 people · community intensity III (weak)Shaking IVShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-10-14 01:14 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.6 · local (Richter) magnitude
- Location
- 23 km WSW of Carlsbad, New Mexico
- Local time at the epicentre
- Oct 13, 2026, 04:39 PM — MDT, UTC-6
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-10-13 22:39 UTC
- Depth
- 10.0 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 32.376, -104.478
- Felt reports
- Felt by 28 people · community intensity III (weak)
- Estimated shaking
- IV · Light
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 208 / 1000 · routine event
- Solution quality
- 44 seismic stations used · 73° 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 IV (Light): Felt indoors by many; dishes and windows rattle and parked cars rock.
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 30,203 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 47,251 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad | 23.9 km ENE | 28,957 |
| La Huerta | 25.2 km ENE | 1,246 |
| Loving | 37.3 km ESE | 1,409 |
| Atoka | 44.5 km N | 1,077 |
| Artesia | 52.3 km N | 12,036 |
| Hagerman | 83.4 km N | 1,254 |
| Dexter | 91.8 km N | 1,272 |
Earthquake history in this area
No earthquake of magnitude 4.5+ has been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Mexico.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
2 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 23 km WSW of Carlsbad, New Mexico
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 23 km WSW of Carlsbad, New Mexico earthquake?
Magnitude 3.6 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 10.0 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 13, 2026, 04:39 PM (local time at the epicentre — MDT, UTC-6). In universal time: 2026-10-13 22:39 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 28 people · community intensity III (weak). Felt indoors by many; dishes and windows rattle and parked cars rock.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Carlsbad, 23.9 km ENE (population 28,957).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
2 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), 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.