4.8

M4.8 Earthquake 12 km E of Venustiano Carranza (Peña Blanca), MexicoSeptember 3, 2026

2026-09-03 11:33:52 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 5:33 AM UTC-6 local

MagnitudeM4.8(mb)
Time11:33 UTC5:33 AM UTC-6
Depth159.0 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates17.654°, -94.634°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On September 3, 2026 at 11:33 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 intermediate depth earthquake struck 12 km E of Venustiano Carranza (Peña Blanca), Mexico, at a depth of 159.0 km and coordinates 17.6542°, -94.6336°. This earthquake was detected by 60 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 Mexico, a region characterized by the Middle America Trench, where the Cocos Plate subducts beneath the North American Plate. The nearest mapped fault system is the Middle America Trench. View all earthquakes in Mexico.

Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 17.65°, -94.63°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.8 mb
Depth
159.0 km
intermediate depth
Location
17.6542°N
-94.6336°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000tdw2
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
354
Stations Used
60
Azimuthal Gap
122.0°
Min Station Distance
2.752°
RMS Residual
1.34 sec
Last Updated
2026-09-03 11:46:04 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Venustiano Carranza (Peña Blanca), Mexico?

The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 12 km E of Venustiano Carranza (Peña Blanca), Mexico on September 3, 2026 at 11:33 UTC had a depth of 159.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 17.6542°, -94.6336°, which is 12 km E of Venustiano Carranza (Peña Blanca), Mexico. View all earthquakes in Mexico.

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 Mexico had earthquakes this big before?

The largest recorded earthquake in Mexico was the M8.1 Chiapas earthquake of September 8, 2017. Today's magnitude 4.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000tdw2). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, September 3, 2026). M4.8 Earthquake 12 km E of Venustiano Carranza (Peña Blanca), MexicoSeptember 3, 2026. Retrieved September 3, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000tdw2/