M 3.3 Earthquake Strikes 4 km E of Covelo, California
Areazine synthesizes this USGS earthquake report directly from USGS's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
A magnitude 3.3 earthquake occurred 4 km east of Covelo, California, at a shallow depth of 5.6 km on September 12, 2026, at 7:24 PM UTC.
What this USGS earthquake report tells you, and what most readers miss
This notice was issued by USGS on May 3, 2026 and geographically references Northern California. Its severity classification of "low" signals how the issuing agency weighs the risk of harm if no action is taken - "critical" and "high" tier alerts typically carry direct consumer actions, while "medium" and "low" tend toward informational guidance or monitoring advisories. The category it belongs to - Earthquakes - determines the monitoring protocol behind it, which shapes what follow-up action (checking for structural damage, watching for aftershocks, reviewing local building codes) is relevant and which agency holds authority over the assessment.
Most readers skim a notice like this, check whether they are personally affected, and move on. The more useful lens is to verify its scope, source, and timestamp, then compare related notices without assuming that one record proves a broader trend.
Areazine pairs this record with the original agency URL so you can check the primary source before acting. Its related labels are earthquake, seismic, usgs, Northern California.
What Happened
An earthquake with a magnitude of 3.3 ml struck 4 km E of Covelo, CA. It occurred at a depth of 5.6 km and took place on September 12, 2026, at 7:24 PM UTC.
Location Details
The earthquake was centered at coordinates 39.80 latitude and -123.20 longitude, near Covelo in California. This shallow depth of 5.6 km means it is more likely to be felt near the epicenter, as earthquakes under 20 km are considered shallow and can cause noticeable shaking in the immediate area.
Impact Assessment
There were 2 felt reports from the public. No tsunami advisory was issued, and there was no alert level reported.
What You Should Know
This minor earthquake, with a magnitude of 3.3, is often felt but rarely causes damage. It is possible for aftershocks to occur, and general safety tips include dropping to the ground, covering your head, and holding on during shaking if indoors.
Source
Information sourced from USGS: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/nc75355867
Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗
Related Earthquakes
All Earthquakes →Nationwide notices with similar length or severity timing 8
Two Areazine-derived peer sets for this USGS earthquake report: nearest notices by body length and by same severity near the same agency date. Peers come from other categories so they are not the same-feed Related list above.
Similar body length
Nearest notices by article body length (1,003 characters here).
Similar severity timing
Same severity (low) notices issued closest in time to May 3, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this USGS earthquake report.