M 4.2 Earthquake Near The Geysers, 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 4.2 earthquake struck 2 km northwest of The Geysers in California, at a shallow depth of about 3.5 km, and was felt by 14 people according to USGS data.
What this USGS earthquake report tells you, and what most readers miss
This notice was issued by USGS on May 7, 2026 and geographically references Northern California. Its severity classification of "medium" 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.
Earthquake Report: Northern California
What Happened
An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.23 ml occurred on June 28, 2026, at 12:29:23 UTC. It struck 2 km NW of The Geysers, CA, at a depth of 3.54 km.
Location Details
The earthquake was centered at coordinates 38.79 latitude and -122.77 longitude, near The Geysers in California. At a depth of 3.54 km, this is considered a shallow earthquake, which typically means it is more likely to be felt at the surface compared to deeper events.
Impact Assessment
The event was reported as felt by 14 people. There was no tsunami advisory issued, and no alert level was specified.
What You Should Know
This light earthquake, with a magnitude of 4.23, may be followed by aftershocks, as is common with seismic events. For safety, if shaking occurs, remember to drop to the ground, cover your head and neck, and hold on to a sturdy object until the shaking stops.
Source
Information is from the USGS. For more details, visit: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/nc75358752
Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗
Related Earthquakes
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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 (1,047 characters here).
Similar severity timing
Same severity (medium) notices issued closest in time to May 7, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this USGS earthquake report.