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M1.6 Depth: 7.9 km

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

UTC time: 2026-08-18 20:08:31 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On August 18, 2026 at 20:08 UTC, a magnitude M1.6 earthquake occurred near Kern County, California (United States). With a focal depth of about 8 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: 219 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M3.5.

Details

Magnitude
M1.6
Depth
7.9 km
UTC time
2026-08-18 20:08:31 UTC
Local time
—
Country
United States
State
California
City
Kern County
County
Kern County
Source
scedc
Coordinates
35.06450, -118.31033
Temperature
24.4°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 7.9 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 7.9 km
Shallow
7.9 km
7.9 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

  • Ubehebe Craters
    Distance: 231 km ·Maar(s) ·Elevation: 752 m ·Last eruption: -150 ·United States
  • Mammoth Mountain
    Distance: 293 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 3'369 m ·Last eruption: 1260 ·United States
  • Mono-Inyo Craters
    Distance: 311 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 2'796 m ·Last eruption: 1380 ·United States
  • Salton Buttes
    Distance: 323 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: -40 m ·Last eruption: 210 ·United States
  • Mono Lake Volcanic Field
    Distance: 333 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 2'121 m ·Last eruption: 1790 ·United States
  • Uinkaret Field
    Distance: 490 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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