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M1.5 Depth: 7.3 km

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

UTC time: 2026-05-16 17:57:44 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M1.5 earthquake was recorded near Kern County, California (United States) on May 16, 2026 at 17:57 UTC. With a focal depth of about 7 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 event was recorded by SCEDC. United States: 158 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M3.5.

Details

Magnitude
M1.5
Depth
7.3 km
UTC time
2026-05-16 17:57:44 UTC
Local time
—
Country
United States
State
California
City
Kern County
County
Kern County
Source
scedc
Coordinates
35.30250, -117.80267
Temperature
25.0°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 7.3 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 7.3 km
Shallow
7.3 km
7.3 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: 194 km ·Maar(s) ·Elevation: 752 m ·Last eruption: -150 ·United States
  • Mammoth Mountain
    Distance: 281 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 3'369 m ·Last eruption: 1260 ·United States
  • Mono-Inyo Craters
    Distance: 299 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: 2'796 m ·Last eruption: 1380 ·United States
  • Salton Buttes
    Distance: 309 km ·Lava dome(s) ·Elevation: -40 m ·Last eruption: 210 ·United States
  • Mono Lake Volcanic Field
    Distance: 319 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 2'121 m ·Last eruption: 1790 ·United States
  • Uinkaret Field
    Distance: 438 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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