Magnitude 3.2 Earthquake Rattles Southern California

The earthquake struck around 8:12 p.m., roughly five miles offshore from Malibu, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Audrey Simons

Published: 5/26/2026, 1:45:44 PM EDT

Magnitude 3.2 Earthquake Rattles Southern California — A map showing the location of a 3.2 magnitude earthquake that struck near Malibu, Calif., on May 25, 2026. (USGS)

A magnitude 3.2 earthquake rattled communities across Southern California on Monday night.

The earthquake struck around 8:12 p.m., roughly five miles south of Malibu, just offshore in the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

No damages or injuries were immediately confirmed by local authorities. Magnitudes between 2.5 and 5.4 are considered small and generally only cause minor damage, per Michigan Technological University. On the other hand, earthquakes with a magnitude of 8.0 or higher are classified as "great" in size and can cause severe destruction near the epicenter.

Although magnitude measures the size of an earthquake, depth can also influence how strongly shaking is felt above ground. According to the USGS, shallow earthquakes occur at depths of up to 43.5 miles and generally produce stronger shaking than deep ones because their seismic waves only have to travel a short distance to reach the surface, allowing them to retain more of their energy.

Monday's earthquake originated at a relatively shallow depth of about 7.7 miles. As of Tuesday morning, the USGS had received only about 130 reports of weak to light shaking from residents as far north as Santa Clarita in Los Angeles County and as far south as Huntington Beach in Orange County.

"A little bump here in Oxnard by the sea," one local shared on X, with others noting that they didn't feel the earthquake at all.

"Didn't feel it," one person wrote. "That's not small and we usually always feel these ones...and NO ONE'S talking about this one in my area," another added.

Several other earthquakes were recorded across the state on Monday. Shortly after 1:20 p.m., a magnitude 2.5 quake hit just off the coast of Santa Cruz Island at a depth of about 5.8 miles. Another quake was reported further north shortly before 7:15 p.m., striking near Avenal at a depth of 5.6 miles.

The USGS advises people to follow the "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" method during an earthquake. If shaking is felt indoors, residents should steer clear of windows, fireplaces, and heavy furniture. They should also avoid the kitchen and not rush downstairs or outside while the shaking continues.

In an earthquake strikes while outdoors, residents should move to an open area away from buildings, powerlines, or other objects that could fall. If driving, motorists should carefully pull over and stop in a clear area, avoiding bridges, overpasses, trees, or any other structure that could collapse. A complete list of earthquake safety recommendations can be found on the USGS's website.