M2.1 Earthquake 15 km WNW of Malibu, CA — May 9, 2025
2025-05-09 21:44:02 UTC (2025-05-09) · approx. 1:44 PM UTC-8 local
On May 9, 2025 at 21:44 UTC, a magnitude 2.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 15 km WNW of Malibu, CA, at a depth of 12.6 km and coordinates 34.0458°, -118.9645°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 2.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 25.3 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 18 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 3 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-118.9645°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 2.1 earthquake near Malibu, CA?
The magnitude 2.1 earthquake that struck 15 km WNW of Malibu, CA on May 9, 2025 at 21:44 UTC had a depth of 12.6 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 2.1 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 2.1 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: ci41149568). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, May 9, 2025). M2.1 Earthquake 15 km WNW of Malibu, CA — May 9, 2025. Retrieved May 20, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/ci41149568/