M3.4 Earthquake 149 km SSW of Channel Islands Beach, California — December 16, 2025
2025-12-16 21:38:31 UTC (2025-12-16) · approx. 1:38 PM UTC-8 local
On December 16, 2025 at 21:38 UTC, a magnitude 3.4 shallow crustal earthquake struck 149 km SSW of Channel Islands Beach, California, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 32.9407°, -119.9107°. The earthquake was reported felt by 2 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 2.4 (weak).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1.9 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 134 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
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 2 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
-119.9107°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.4 earthquake near Channel Islands Beach, California?
The magnitude 3.4 earthquake that struck 149 km SSW of Channel Islands Beach, California on December 16, 2025 at 21:38 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. It was felt by 2 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 2.4 (weak). 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.
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.
Actions
Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.4 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000rvch). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, December 16, 2025). M3.4 Earthquake 149 km SSW of Channel Islands Beach, California — December 16, 2025. Retrieved May 24, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000rvch/