M1.2 Depth: 17.0 km

M1.2 Earthquake near Pauma, California (United States)

UTC time: 2026-08-20 21:08:48 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

On August 20, 2026 at 21:08 UTC, a magnitude M1.2 earthquake occurred near Pauma, California (United States). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 17 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this small magnitude are usually barely noticeable and cause no damage.

The data is provided by SCEDC and cross-checked across seismological networks. United States: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 196 earthquakes, the strongest at M3.7.

Details

Magnitude
M1.2
Depth
17.0 km
UTC time
2026-08-20 21:08:48 UTC
Local time
Country
State
City
Village
Pauma
Source
scedc
Coordinates
33.37083, -116.98300
Temperature
36.3°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 17 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 17 km
Shallow
17 km
17 km — close to the regional average (15.4 km)
Regional average: 15.4 km
Why depth matters

Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.

Depth classes per USGS

Volcanoes nearby

  • Salton Buttes
    Distance: 129 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: -40 m ·Last eruption: 210 ·United States
  • Pinacate
    Distance: 367 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 1'183 m ·Mexico
  • Ubehebe Craters
    Distance: 408 km ·Maar(s) ·Elevation: 752 m ·Last eruption: -150 ·United States
  • San Luis, Isla
    Distance: 450 km ·Tuff cone ·Elevation: 183 m ·Last eruption: -1141 ·Mexico
  • Uinkaret Field
    Distance: 485 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 1'555 m ·Last eruption: 1100 ·United States

Historic earthquake map · United States

Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.

Country statistics · United States

View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

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