Live intelligence tracking 10 recent earthquakes across the LA metro, with active monitoring of California, Puerto Rico, and other seismic zones. The Puente Hills Thrust blind fault runs directly beneath downtown — a worst-case rupture would devastate the urban core with little warning.
Live surface
Follow fresh quake markers in Los Angeles as they appear and use the sidebar to jump into the most relevant seismic updates.
Seismic events sorted by the latest updates — click any row for detail, magnitude, depth, and related coverage.
| Event | Severity |
|---|---|
🌍 US Earthquake Event A recent earthquake was reported in the United States, with the epicenter possibly in California or New York, as monitored by USGS on April 25-26, 2026. | MEDIUM |
🌍 Magnitude 4.0 Quake in SE Missouri A magnitude 4.0 earthquake struck southeast Missouri, prompting investigations into the New Madrid fault for potential seismic risks. | LOW |
🌍 US Earthquake on April 19, 2026 An earthquake occurred in the United States on April 19, 2026, with details reported on the exact time, magnitude, and epicenter location, potentially affecting areas like California. | MEDIUM |
🌍 Earthquake Sequences in California The article discusses two interesting earthquake sequences, highlighting them as a reminder of the unique geologic setting in Northern California. | MEDIUM |
🌍 Earthquake in Puerto Rico Residents of Puerto Rico share experiences from a significant earthquake reported on the island. | MEDIUM |
🌍 US Earthquake in California A recent earthquake was reported in the United States, with the epicenter likely in California, as monitored by USGS, involving details on magnitude and exact time. | MEDIUM |
🌍 US Earthquake April 2026 An earthquake occurred in the United States on April 5, 2026, with the epicenter possibly in California or New York, as reported by USGS. | MEDIUM |
🌍 4.9 Earthquake in California A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck the Brookdale region in California, as reported by USGS, with the initial magnitude revised from 5.1. | MEDIUM |
🌍 M3.3 Earthquake - south of Alaska Magnitude 3.3 earthquake at depth of 21.4km. south of Alaska | LOW |
🌍 4.1 Magnitude Quake in Inland Empire A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck the Inland Empire area in California, USA, with no reported damage or casualties. | LOW |
Seismic hotspots
Historic earthquakes
San Fernando & Northridge fault history · LA ShakeAlert early warning · Recent earthquakes near Los Angeles. These events shaped modern earthquake preparedness — from building codes and early warning systems to tsunami evacuation routes — across the region.
Fault systems
Right-lateral strike-slip fault running from Beverly Hills through Inglewood, Hawthorne, and Long Beach into the offshore Santa Barbara Channel. Source of the 1933 Long Beach M6.4 earthquake that killed 120 people and led directly to California's Field Act for school construction standards.
Learn moreBlind thrust fault running directly beneath downtown Los Angeles and the Los Angeles River basin. Discovered only after the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake revealed the Elysian Park segment. USGS worst-case scenario: a M7.5 rupture would cause catastrophic damage to high-rises, the subway network, and critical infrastructure in the heart of the city with minimal warning due to its blind nature.
Learn moreThe southern segment of the San Andreas runs from the Salton Sea through the Mojave Desert to Parkfield. This segment has not fully ruptured since the 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake — nearly 170 years of accumulated strain. UCERF3 projects a 70% probability of a M6.7 or greater statewide earthquake by 2045, with the southern San Andreas the most likely source of a major southern California event.
Learn moreEast-west trending fault running along the base of the Hollywood Hills from Griffith Park toward Cahuenga Pass. The fault is partially blind beneath the urban core. A M6.8 rupture would cause severe damage to older unreinforced masonry buildings throughout Hollywood, West Hollywood, and Silverlake.
Learn moreEast-west left-lateral and thrust fault running beneath Wilshire Boulevard and the Santa Monica area — one of the most densely developed corridors in North America. The fault was largely unrecognized as an active seismic hazard until paleoseismic studies in the 1990s revealed evidence of Holocene surface rupture.
Learn morePuente Hills Thrust — the blind thrust beneath downtown · Newport-Inglewood Fault — 1933 Long Beach quake source · Southern San Andreas — next Big One's most likely segment. Understanding the dominant fault systems in the region is the foundation of earthquake preparedness — every safety protocol, building code, and early warning system is calibrated against these geologies.
Monitoring authorities
National / Southern California
Earthquake Hazards Program: ShakeMap, Did You Feel It reports, and the ANSS global catalog. Primary federal agency for LA earthquake monitoring and hazard assessment.
Live bulletinSouthern California
Operates the Southern California Seismic Network (SCSN) with 400+ stations. Maintains the definitive SoCal earthquake catalog and provides waveform data for research.
Live bulletinWest Coast (California, Oregon, Washington)
USGS-led early warning system for the West Coast. Delivers alerts via MyShake app (iOS/Android) and native Android Earthquake Alert, typically 5–30 seconds before strong shaking arrives in LA.
Live bulletinLos Angeles County
Coordinates county-wide emergency response, issues evacuation orders, and manages disaster recovery. Publishes the LA County Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Live bulletinUSGS ShakeMap for LA county · SCEDC Southern California seismic catalog · MyShake + Android Earthquake Alert. Bookmark these official feeds for real-time earthquake alerts, felt reports, and post-event damage assessments. The World Now cross-references their data for the live tracker above.
About this tracker
Los Angeles sits in one of the most complex seismic environments in the world. The San Andreas Fault passes about 35 miles northeast of downtown LA, but the greater threat comes from numerous smaller, blind thrust faults directly beneath the city — faults that do not reach the surface and can produce devastating earthquakes without warning.
The 1994 Northridge earthquake (M6.7) was caused by a previously unknown blind thrust fault and caused $20 billion in damage — the most costly earthquake in U.S. history at the time. The Newport-Inglewood Fault runs from Culver City through Inglewood, Long Beach, and into Orange County, directly beneath densely populated areas. The Puente Hills Thrust, discovered after Northridge, runs beneath downtown LA and could produce a magnitude 7.5 earthquake.
Track LA seismic activity in real time on our earthquake tracker and check California-wide activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Multiple faults in the LA area are considered capable of producing damaging earthquakes. The southern San Andreas Fault has not ruptured since 1857 and is building stress. Blind thrust faults beneath the city, like the Puente Hills Thrust, could produce M7+ events at any time.
The San Andreas Fault passes northeast of LA, while the Newport-Inglewood, Hollywood, Santa Monica, Puente Hills Thrust, and Elysian Park faults all run through or beneath the metropolitan area. Many of these are blind thrust faults that do not reach the surface.
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Last updated 4/26/2026, 11:56:09 AM