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M1.8 Depth: 4.0 km

M1.8 Earthquake near San Benito County, California (United States)

UTC time: 2026-08-20 11:51:21 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On August 20, 2026 at 11:51 UTC, a magnitude M1.8 earthquake occurred near San Benito County, California (United States). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 4 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this small magnitude are usually barely noticeable and cause no damage.

The event was recorded by USGS. United States: 230 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M3.9.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 4 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 4 km
Shallow
4 km
4 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

  • Mammoth Mountain
    Distance: 228 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 3'369 m ·Last eruption: 1260 ·United States
  • Mono-Inyo Craters
    Distance: 238 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 2'796 m ·Last eruption: 1380 ·United States
  • Mono Lake Volcanic Field
    Distance: 251 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 2'121 m ·Last eruption: 1790 ·United States
  • Clear Lake Volcanic Field
    Distance: 292 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 1'439 m ·United States
  • Ubehebe Craters
    Distance: 343 km ·Maar(s) ·Elevation: 752 m ·Last eruption: -150 ·United States
  • Soda Lakes
    Distance: 385 km ·Maar(s) ·Elevation: 1'251 m ·United States

Historic earthquake map · United States

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Country statistics · United States

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

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