3.6

M3.6 Earthquake 20 km NW of Desert Center, CANovember 10, 2024

2024-11-10 21:53:21 UTC (2024-11-10) · approx. 1:53 PM UTC-8 local

MagnitudeM3.6(ml)
Time21:53 UTC1:53 PM UTC-8
Depth4.6 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates33.858°, -115.525°
Felt by5DYFI responses· max MMI 3.7
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On November 10, 2024 at 21:53 UTC, a magnitude 3.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 20 km NW of Desert Center, CA, at a depth of 4.6 km and coordinates 33.8585°, -115.5245°. The earthquake was reported felt by 5 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 3.7 (light).

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 3.3 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 172 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 33.86°, -115.52°

ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity

Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.

USGS ShakeMap intensity contours for the M3.6 earthquake near 20 km NW of Desert Center, CA

Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 5 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M3.6 earthquake near 20 km NW of Desert Center, CA

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.6 ml
Depth
4.6 km
shallow crustal
Location
33.8585°N
-115.5245°E
Felt Reports
5
DYFI responses
Intensity (MMI)
3.7
light
Community Intensity
3.1
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
ci40791447
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
197
Stations Used
72
Azimuthal Gap
38.0°
Min Station Distance
0.178°
RMS Residual
0.17 sec
Last Updated
2025-01-24 19:51:31 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.6 earthquake near Desert Center, CA?

The magnitude 3.6 earthquake that struck 20 km NW of Desert Center, CA on November 10, 2024 at 21:53 UTC had a depth of 4.6 km. It was felt by 5 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 3.7 (light). For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.6 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: ci40791447). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, November 10, 2024). M3.6 Earthquake 20 km NW of Desert Center, CANovember 10, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/ci40791447/