3.5

M3.5 Earthquake 7 km NE of Lake Davis, CAApril 28, 2026

2026-04-28 04:17:52 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 8:17 PM UTC-8 local

Felt by 27 people across nearby locations.

MagnitudeM3.5(ml)
Time04:17 UTC8:17 PM UTC-8
Depth-1.6 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates39.913°, -120.420°
Felt by27DYFI responses· max MMI 3.6
StatusAutomatic (preliminary)

On April 28, 2026 at 04:17 UTC, a magnitude 3.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 7 km NE of Lake Davis, CA, at a depth of -1.6 km and coordinates 39.9127°, -120.4200°. The earthquake was reported felt by 27 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 3.6 (light). This earthquake was detected by 94 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 196, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 2.5 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 152 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

The epicenter is located in California, a region characterized by the San Andreas transform fault system, where the Pacific and North American plates slide past each other at roughly 46 mm per year. The nearest mapped fault system is the San Andreas Fault. View all earthquakes in California.

Learn more: San Andreas Fault · Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 39.91°, -120.42°

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 M3.5 earthquake near 7 km NE of Lake Davis, CA

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

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 27 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 M3.5 earthquake near 7 km NE of Lake Davis, CA

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

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.5 ml
Depth
-1.6 km
shallow crustal
Location
39.9127°N
-120.4200°E
Felt Reports
27
DYFI responses
Intensity (MMI)
3.6
light
Community Intensity
3.5
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
nc75352982
Event Type
earthquake
Status
Automatic
Significance
196
Stations Used
94
Azimuthal Gap
58.0°
RMS Residual
0.55 sec
Last Updated
2026-04-28 05:42:18 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.5 earthquake near Lake Davis, CA?

The magnitude 3.5 earthquake that struck 7 km NE of Lake Davis, CA on April 28, 2026 at 04:17 UTC had a depth of -1.6 km. It was felt by 27 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 3.6 (light). For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 39.9127°, -120.4200°, which is 7 km NE of Lake Davis, CA. View all earthquakes in California.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Has California had earthquakes this big before?

The largest recorded earthquake in California was the M7.9 Fort Tejon earthquake of January 9, 1857. Today's magnitude 3.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

What should I do after an earthquake?

If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: nc75352982). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, April 28, 2026). M3.5 Earthquake 7 km NE of Lake Davis, CAApril 28, 2026. Retrieved April 28, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/nc75352982/