M1.6 Depth: 14.1 km

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

UTC time: 2026-03-03 11:54:35 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

On March 3, 2026 at 11:54 UTC, a magnitude M1.6 earthquake occurred near Imperial County, California (United States). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 14 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 SCEDC. United States: 163 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M2.9.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 14.1 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 14.1 km
Shallow
14.1 km
14.1 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

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Historic earthquake map · United States

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Country statistics · United States

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

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