M1.7 Depth: 13.5 km

M1.7 Earthquake near Kern County, California (United States)

UTC time: 2026-01-20 21:39:48 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

On January 20, 2026 at 21:39 UTC, a magnitude M1.7 earthquake occurred near Kern County, California (United States). With a focal depth of about 13 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. 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 209 earthquakes, the strongest at M3.8.

Details

Magnitude
M1.7
Depth
13.5 km
UTC time
2026-01-20 21:39:48 UTC
Local time
Country
State
County
Source
scedc
Coordinates
35.17167, -119.03617
Temperature
12.4°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 13.5 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 13.5 km
Shallow
13.5 km
13.5 km — close to the regional average (15.8 km)
Regional average: 15.8 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: 250 km ·Maar(s) ·Elevation: 752 m ·Last eruption: -150 ·United States
  • Mammoth Mountain
    Distance: 273 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 3'369 m ·Last eruption: 1260 ·United States
  • Mono-Inyo Craters
    Distance: 293 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 2'796 m ·Last eruption: 1380 ·United States
  • Mono Lake Volcanic Field
    Distance: 314 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 2'121 m ·Last eruption: 1790 ·United States
  • Salton Buttes
    Distance: 384 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: -40 m ·Last eruption: 210 ·United States
  • Soda Lakes
    Distance: 484 km ·Maar(s) ·Elevation: 1'251 m ·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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