M4.8 Earthquake 108 km WSW of Crescent City, CA — May 9, 2026
2026-05-09 04:57:58 UTC (2 hours ago) · approx. 8:57 PM UTC-8 local
Felt by 19 people across nearby locations.
On May 9, 2026 at 04:57 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 108 km WSW of Crescent City, CA, at a depth of 2.5 km and coordinates 41.4917°, -125.4553°. The earthquake was reported felt by 19 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 2.9 (weak). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 229 seismic stations with moderate location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 368, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Harbor (population 1,957).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 284 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.3 km — 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
Nearest Populated Places
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.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 19 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
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 11,650 |
Earthquake Details
-125.4553°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Crescent City, CA?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 108 km WSW of Crescent City, CA on May 9, 2026 at 04:57 UTC had a depth of 2.5 km. It was felt by 19 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 2.9 (weak). For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 41.4917°, -125.4553°, which is 108 km WSW of Crescent City, CA. The nearest populated place is Harbor (population 1,957). View all earthquakes in California.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 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 4.8 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: nc75357576). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, May 9, 2026). M4.8 Earthquake 108 km WSW of Crescent City, CA — May 9, 2026. Retrieved May 9, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/nc75357576/