3.4

M3.4 Earthquake 29 km W of Petrolia, CA — October 12, 2026

2026-10-12 15:21:56 UTC (51 min ago) · approx. 7:21 AM UTC-8 local

MagnitudeM3.4(ml)
Time15:21 UTC≈ 7:21 AM UTC-8
Depth0.7 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates40.289°, -124.625°
Felt byNo felt reports
StatusAutomatic (preliminary)

On October 12, 2026 at 15:21 UTC, a magnitude 3.4 shallow crustal earthquake struck 29 km W of Petrolia, CA, at a depth of 0.7 km and coordinates 40.2890°, -124.6248°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 2.1 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 140 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 40.29°, -124.62°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.4 ml
Depth
0.7 km
shallow crustal
Location
40.2890°N
-124.6248°E

Technical Information

Event ID
nc75448351
Event Type
earthquake
Status
Automatic
Significance
181
Stations Used
33
Azimuthal Gap
268.0°
Min Station Distance
0.216°
RMS Residual
0.25 sec
Last Updated
2026-10-12 15:52:23 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.4 earthquake near Petrolia, CA?

The magnitude 3.4 earthquake that struck 29 km W of Petrolia, CA on October 12, 2026 at 15:21 UTC had a depth of 0.7 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 3.4 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.4 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: nc75448351). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, October 12, 2026). M3.4 Earthquake 29 km W of Petrolia, CA — October 12, 2026. Retrieved October 12, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/nc75448351/