Live intelligence tracking 10 recent earthquakes across San Diego, with active monitoring of California, Puerto Rico, and other seismic zones along Southern California's active fault network.
Live surface
Follow fresh quake markers in San Diego 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
Rose Canyon Fault & San Diego fault lines · Recent San Diego earthquakes (felt reports) · San Diego earthquake preparedness. 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 offshore San Diego through Mission Bay, Old Town, and beneath downtown San Diego. The USGS "Big One for San Diego" scenario involves a full Rose Canyon rupture — a M6.9 event that would cause severe shaking on bay-fill and reclaimed land throughout the city center. Slips at approximately 1–2 mm/year.
Learn moreMajor right-lateral strike-slip fault forming the northeastern boundary of San Diego County and extending into Baja California. Capable of producing M7+ earthquakes, the Elsinore Fault Zone has a long recurrence interval but represents a significant hazard for eastern and northern San Diego County. Connected to the Laguna Salada Fault in Baja.
Learn moreThe most seismically active fault system in Southern California, crossing the eastern portion of San Diego County. The San Jacinto Fault accumulates strain at approximately 25 mm/year — faster than the San Andreas in southern California — and has produced multiple M6+ earthquakes historically, including the 1968 Borrego Mountain event. USGS hazard models assign high probability to future M7+ ruptures.
Learn moreMexican extension of the San Andreas fault system in northern Baja California, accommodating plate motion through the Gulf of California rift zone. The Cerro Prieto Fault was the primary source of the 2010 El Mayor-Cucapah M7.2 earthquake — demonstrating that cross-border ruptures produce significant shaking across San Diego County. Connects the Imperial Valley fault system to the Gulf of California spreading centers.
Learn moreRose Canyon Fault — the 65km transform beneath downtown SD · Elsinore and San Jacinto Fault Zones · Imperial Valley and Baja's northern extension. 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 (USA)
Issues real-time ShakeAlert early warnings, ShakeMap ground-motion reports, and Did You Feel It crowd-sourced intensity maps for the San Diego region.
Live bulletinSouthern California
Maintains the authoritative Southern California seismic catalog. Operates the TriNet/CI network of 350+ sensors across the region, providing high-resolution waveform data and precise hypocenter solutions for San Diego County events.
Live bulletinRegional (San Diego / Southern California)
Operates a regional ocean-bottom seismometer network and conducts tsunami research. Key academic partner for Rose Canyon Fault characterization and offshore seismic hazard assessment for San Diego.
Live bulletinState (California)
Publishes fault hazard zone maps under the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone Act. San Diego County fault zone maps identify building setback requirements along the Rose Canyon, Elsinore, and other active faults.
Live bulletinUSGS Earthquakes Program · SCEDC Southern California catalog · Scripps Institution of Oceanography. 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
San Diego sits atop several active fault systems that pose moderate to significant seismic risk. The Rose Canyon Fault runs directly through the city, from La Jolla through Mission Bay, downtown San Diego, and south into Coronado. To the east, the Elsinore Fault and San Jacinto Fault are capable of producing magnitude 7+ earthquakes.
While San Diego experiences fewer earthquakes than Los Angeles or San Francisco, the Rose Canyon Fault is capable of a magnitude 6.9 earthquake — significant enough to cause major damage in a city that has not experienced a large earthquake in modern times. This seismic "quiet" may actually indicate that stress is building. Track the latest activity on our live earthquake tracker.
Beyond direct shaking, San Diego faces earthquake-related hazards including liquefaction in low-lying coastal areas (Mission Bay, Harbor Island, Coronado), landslides in hillside communities (La Jolla, Point Loma), and tsunami risk along the coast. A magnitude 7+ earthquake on the Rose Canyon Fault could generate a local tsunami within minutes — far less warning time than a distant Pacific earthquake.
San Diego's proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border also means earthquakes in Baja California are felt in the city. The 2010 El Mayor-Cucapah earthquake (M7.2) centered in Baja California was strongly felt throughout San Diego County. Check tsunami warnings whenever significant seismic activity occurs near the California coast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. San Diego has multiple active fault systems including the Rose Canyon Fault running through the city, capable of a magnitude 6.9 earthquake. The region also feels earthquakes from the San Jacinto, Elsinore, and faults in Baja California, Mexico.
The Rose Canyon Fault runs from La Jolla through Mission Bay, under downtown San Diego, and into Coronado. It is part of a larger fault zone that includes the Newport-Inglewood Fault to the north. The Elsinore and San Jacinto Faults lie to the east.
San Diego has not experienced a major damaging earthquake in modern times, which is actually a concern — it may mean stress is accumulating. The most recent notable earthquake was the 2010 M7.2 El Mayor-Cucapah earthquake centered in Baja California, which was strongly felt in San Diego.
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Last updated 4/26/2026, 11:56:09 AM