M 3.5 Earthquake Strikes 3 km WSW of Brawley, 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 3.5 earthquake occurred on July 3, 2026, at 07:47:36 UTC, centered 3 km west-southwest of Brawley, California, at a shallow depth of about 14 km.
What this USGS earthquake report tells you, and what most readers miss
This notice was issued by USGS on May 9, 2026 and geographically references Southern 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, California.
What Happened
A magnitude 3.5 ml earthquake occurred 3 km WSW of Brawley, CA, at a depth of 13.93 km. The event took place on July 3, 2026, at 07:47:36 UTC.
Location Details
The earthquake was located at coordinates 32.97 latitude and -115.56 longitude, near Brawley in California. With a depth of approximately 14 km, it is considered a shallow earthquake (less than 20 km), which can result in stronger shaking at the surface compared to deeper events.
Impact Assessment
The earthquake was felt by 5 people, as reported. There is no tsunami advisory, and no alert level was issued.
What You Should Know
This minor earthquake, with a magnitude of 3.5, is often felt but rarely causes damage. It is possible for aftershocks to occur, so stay informed and follow basic safety tips like securing heavy objects and knowing how to drop, cover, and hold on during shaking.
Source
Information from USGS: [https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/ci41459712]
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 (974 characters here).
Similar severity timing
Same severity (low) notices issued closest in time to May 9, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this USGS earthquake report.