2.6

M2.6 Earthquake 27 km WSW of Dana Point, CADecember 29, 2024

2024-12-29 20:44:59 UTC (2024-12-29) · approx. 12:44 PM UTC-8 local

MagnitudeM2.6(ml)
Time20:44 UTC12:44 PM UTC-8
Depth7.2 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates33.335°, -117.945°
Felt by1DYFI response
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 29, 2024 at 20:44 UTC, a magnitude 2.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 27 km WSW of Dana Point, CA, at a depth of 7.2 km and coordinates 33.3353°, -117.9447°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 2.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 133 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 39 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 33.34°, -117.94°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response 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 M2.6 earthquake near 27 km WSW of Dana Point, CA

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

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
2.6 ml
Depth
7.2 km
shallow crustal
Location
33.3353°N
-117.9447°E
Felt Reports
1
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
1.0
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
ci40829895
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
107
Stations Used
59
Azimuthal Gap
108.0°
Min Station Distance
0.267°
RMS Residual
0.27 sec
Last Updated
2025-03-08 22:39:12 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 2.6 earthquake near Dana Point, CA?

The magnitude 2.6 earthquake that struck 27 km WSW of Dana Point, CA on December 29, 2024 at 20:44 UTC had a depth of 7.2 km. 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 2.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 2.6 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: ci40829895). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 29, 2024). M2.6 Earthquake 27 km WSW of Dana Point, CADecember 29, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/ci40829895/