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M1.6 Depth: 10.2 km

M1.6 Earthquake near Kern County, California (United States)

UTC time: 2026-05-18 03:27:56 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On May 18, 2026 at 03:27 UTC, a magnitude M1.6 earthquake occurred near Kern County, California (United States). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 10 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Events of this size typically go unnoticed.

The data is provided by SCEDC and cross-checked across seismological networks. United States: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 154 earthquakes, the strongest at M3.8.

Details

Magnitude
M1.6
Depth
10.2 km
UTC time
2026-05-18 03:27:56 UTC
Local time
—
Country
United States
State
California
City
Kern County
County
Kern County
Source
scedc
Coordinates
35.05867, -119.13800
Temperature
16.9°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 10.2 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 10.2 km
Shallow
10.2 km
10.2 km — shallower than the regional average (15.9 km)
Regional average: 15.9 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: 266 km ·Maar(s) ·Elevation: 752 m ·Last eruption: -150 ·United States
  • Mammoth Mountain
    Distance: 286 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 3'369 m ·Last eruption: 1260 ·United States
  • Mono-Inyo Craters
    Distance: 305 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 2'796 m ·Last eruption: 1380 ·United States
  • Mono Lake Volcanic Field
    Distance: 327 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 2'121 m ·Last eruption: 1790 ·United States
  • Salton Buttes
    Distance: 385 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: -40 m ·Last eruption: 210 ·United States
  • Soda Lakes
    Distance: 497 km ·Maar(s) ·Elevation: 1'251 m ·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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