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M1.5 Depth: 12.5 km

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

UTC time: 2026-08-18 14:21:00 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On August 18, 2026 at 14:21 UTC, a magnitude M1.5 earthquake occurred near Imperial County, California (United States). With a focal depth of about 12 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this small magnitude are usually barely noticeable and cause no damage.

The data is provided by USGS and cross-checked across seismological networks. United States: 197 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M4.8.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 12.5 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 12.5 km
Shallow
12.5 km
12.5 km — close to 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

  • Salton Buttes
    Distance: 53 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: -40 m ·Last eruption: 210 ·United States
  • Pinacate
    Distance: 220 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 1'183 m ·Mexico
  • San Luis, Isla
    Distance: 326 km ·Tuff cone ·Elevation: 183 m ·Last eruption: -1141 ·Mexico
  • Jaraguay Volcanic Field
    Distance: 391 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 960 m ·Mexico
  • San Francisco Volcanic Field
    Distance: 465 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 3'850 m ·Last eruption: 1075 ·United States
  • Uinkaret Field
    Distance: 466 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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