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M1.3 Depth: 3.5 km

M1.3 Earthquake near Kern County, California (United States)

UTC time: 2026-05-21 06:21:47 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M1.3 earthquake was recorded near Kern County, California (United States) on May 21, 2026 at 06:21 UTC. 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: 125 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M2.9.

Details

Magnitude
M1.3
Depth
3.5 km
UTC time
2026-05-21 06:21:47 UTC
Local time
—
Country
United States
State
California
City
Kern County
County
Kern County
Source
usgs
Coordinates
35.36033, -117.78550
Temperature
19.4°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 3.5 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 3.5 km
Shallow
3.5 km
3.5 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: 187 km ·Maar(s) ·Elevation: 752 m ·Last eruption: -150 ·United States
  • Mammoth Mountain
    Distance: 276 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 3'369 m ·Last eruption: 1260 ·United States
  • Mono-Inyo Craters
    Distance: 294 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 2'796 m ·Last eruption: 1380 ·United States
  • Salton Buttes
    Distance: 312 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: -40 m ·Last eruption: 210 ·United States
  • Mono Lake Volcanic Field
    Distance: 314 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 2'121 m ·Last eruption: 1790 ·United States
  • Uinkaret Field
    Distance: 434 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 1'555 m ·Last eruption: 1100 ·United States

Historic earthquake map · United States

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Country statistics · United States

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

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