Minor M 3.1 Earthquake Strikes Off the Coast of Petrolia, California

What Happened

A minor earthquake with a magnitude of 3.1 ml was recorded on February 10, 2026, at 12:30 UTC (4:30 AM local time). The seismic event occurred at an extremely shallow depth of 0.23 km.

Location Details

The earthquake was centered approximately 31 km (19 miles) west of Petrolia, California, in the waters off the coast. The geographic coordinates were recorded at latitude 40.2988 and longitude -124.6543. At a depth of 0.23 km, this is classified as a shallow earthquake; seismic events occurring at depths of less than 20 km are considered shallow and are more likely to be felt at the surface than deeper events.

Impact Assessment

According to USGS data, there are currently no felt reports associated with this event. No tsunami advisory, watch, or warning has been issued. The event has not been assigned a PAGER alert level, indicating a low likelihood of casualties or economic loss.

What You Should Know

Earthquakes with magnitudes between 2.5 and 3.9 are categorized as minor. While these events are often felt by people near the epicenter, they rarely cause damage to buildings or infrastructure. Residents in the region should be aware of the possibility of minor aftershocks. In the event of further shaking, safety officials recommend the “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” protocol.

Source

Information for this report was provided by the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.