M4.8 Earthquake 33 km NNW of El Cardo, Peru — July 23, 2026
2026-07-23 02:38:25 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 9:38 PM UTC-5 local
On July 23, 2026 at 02:38 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 intermediate depth earthquake struck 33 km NNW of El Cardo, Peru, at a depth of 96.3 km and coordinates -16.3095°, -72.8016°. This earthquake was detected by 40 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 354, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Peru, a region characterized by the northern Peru-Chile subduction zone, complicated by the subduction of the Nazca Ridge. The nearest mapped fault system is the Peru-Chile Trench. View all earthquakes in Peru.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
-72.8016°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near El Cardo, Peru?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 33 km NNW of El Cardo, Peru on July 23, 2026 at 02:38 UTC had a depth of 96.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -16.3095°, -72.8016°, which is 33 km NNW of El Cardo, Peru. View all earthquakes in Peru.
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 Peru had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Peru was the M8.0 Arequipa earthquake of June 23, 2001. Today's magnitude 4.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000t2ku). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, July 23, 2026). M4.8 Earthquake 33 km NNW of El Cardo, Peru — July 23, 2026. Retrieved July 23, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000t2ku/