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M 2.61 earthquake - 17 km W of Petrolia, CA

USGS reports a magnitude 2.61 earthquake located 17 km west of Petrolia, California (40.2944984436035, -124.486503601074) at a depth of 8.62 km. Report published 2026-09-18T04:39:53.260Z.

Categories: severe-weather-and-natural-disasters

Generated scores

Scores are based on the cited reporting and use a 1–10 scale. Read the methodology.

Confidence
9/10
Geographic reach
2/10
Global importance
2/10
Impact magnitude
2/10
Positivity
2/10
Urgency
3/10

Why it matters

The event indicates localized seismic activity near Petrolia; at this low magnitude it is unlikely to cause damage but is relevant to local residents, seismic monitoring, and researchers tracking regional activity.

Location

Sources

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