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M1.5 Depth: 8.1 km

M1.5 Earthquake near Kern County, California (United States)

UTC time: 2026-08-21 21:59:11 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On August 21, 2026 at 21:59 UTC, a magnitude M1.5 earthquake occurred near Kern County, California (United States). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 8 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Events of this size typically go unnoticed.

The event was recorded by USGS. United States: 221 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M3.9.

Details

Magnitude
M1.5
Depth
8.1 km
UTC time
2026-08-21 21:59:11 UTC
Local time
—
Country
United States
State
California
City
Kern County
County
Kern County
Source
usgs
Coordinates
35.30850, -117.81583
Temperature
38.0°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 8.1 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 8.1 km
Shallow
8.1 km
8.1 km — shallower than 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

  • Ubehebe Craters
    Distance: 193 km ·Maar(s) ·Elevation: 752 m ·Last eruption: -150 ·United States
  • Mammoth Mountain
    Distance: 280 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 3'369 m ·Last eruption: 1260 ·United States
  • Mono-Inyo Craters
    Distance: 298 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 2'796 m ·Last eruption: 1380 ·United States
  • Salton Buttes
    Distance: 310 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: -40 m ·Last eruption: 210 ·United States
  • Mono Lake Volcanic Field
    Distance: 318 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 2'121 m ·Last eruption: 1790 ·United States
  • Uinkaret Field
    Distance: 439 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 1'555 m ·Last eruption: 1100 ·United States

Historic earthquake map · United States

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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

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

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