2.7-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Near El Centro As Multiple Minor Quakes Hit California

A 2.7-magnitude earthquake was reported near El Centro on Tuesday afternoon. 

The earthquake occurred 8 kilometers east north-east of El Centro in Imperial County at 3:23 p.m. on May 19, 2026, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). 

The epicenter was located at a depth of 16 kilometers. 

The earthquake’s epicenter is located close to several other cities, including Holtville (located 8.5 kilometers from the epicenter), Imperial (10.3 kilometers), and Mexicali (17.2 kilometers) in Mexico. 

The quake was felt by two people, who reported experiencing the seismic event on USGS’s ‘Did You Feel It’ reporting tool. 

The responses were submitted from El Centro. 

USGS categorized the tremor as Level II intensity, which indicates weak shaking and no damage. 

An earthquake’s intensity measures the shaking at each location, varying from place to place, whereas the magnitude describes the size of a quake. 

A magnitude is always denoted using a single measure, according to the USGS. The magnitude replaces the older Richter scale, as the magnitude scale more accurately measures an earthquake’s size. 

No damage or injuries were reported as a result of the quake. 

The earthquake near El Centro was among several other seismic events occurring throughout California on the same day.  

2.7-Magnitude Quake Near Manhattan Beach

A 2.7-magnitude earthquake shook near Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles County on Tuesday, according to the USGS. 

The earthquake occurred at around 12:42 p.m. on May 19. The epicenter was located nearly 4 kilometers west of Manhattan Beach, at a depth of 10.6 kilometers. 

A total of 105 people reported feeling the quake on the USGS’s ‘Did You Feel It?’ reporting tool. The earthquake was felt at places including Torrance, Inglewood, and Santa Monica. 

The seismic event was classified as Level III intensity, which indicates weak shaking and no damage. 

There were no reports of injuries or damage due to the earthquake. 

Minor Tremor Near Lake Pillsbury

A 2.5-magnitude quake rattled near Lake Pillsbury in Lake County in the afternoon on Tuesday. 

The earthquake occurred 6 kilometers north of Lake Pillsbury at 4:14 p.m., at a depth of around 5.2 kilometers, according to the USGS. 

The epicenter sits close to other places, including Alder Springs (28.7 kilometers from the epicenter) and Redwood Valley (30.8 kilometers). 

The minor quake was not widely felt at other locations. There were no reports submitted using the ‘Did You Feel It?’ reporting system.