Earthquakes

Update: 3.4 magnitude earthquake registered close to Cabazon, CA on April 26

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RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA - A 3.4 magnitude quake occurred close to Cabazon on Sunday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

At 8:44 a.m., a tremor rattled the region at a depth of 8 miles, with its epicenter roughly 6 miles north-northeast of Cabazon. Seismologists first reported it as a 3.6 event, but later downgraded it to 3.4.

Did you feel it?

If you felt the earthquake, you can report it via the USGS Felt Report form. So far, the agency has collected 315 online responses from people saying they experienced weak to light shaking. According to the USGS DYFI report, residents in a number of cities, including Indio, Mountain Center, La Quinta and Winchester, reported feeling the quake.

Did you capture the impact?

If you have images that illustrate the effects of the tremor, share them with us at sacbee.com/customer-service/submit-photo.

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Last week's quake

There was one quake of magnitude 2.4 centered in the region, which was reported near La Quinta on Apr. 20.

What to know about earthquakes

Magnitude measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake, the U. S. Geological Survey says. It replaces the old Richter scale. Quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 magnitude are often felt but rarely cause much damage, according to Michigan Tech. Earthquakes below 2.5 magnitude are seldom felt by most people.

Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches. They can happen anywhere, but are most common in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Puerto Rico and Washington, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year. 100,000 of those can be felt, and 100 of them cause damage.

What to do during an earthquake

If an earthquake strikes, it's best to protect yourself right away. Here are tips from experts:

If you're in a car: Pull over and stop. Set your parking brake.

If you're in bed: Turn face-down and cover your head with a pillow.

If you're outdoors: Stay away from buildings. Don't go inside.

If you're inside: Stay and don't run outdoors. Stay away from doorways.

The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say. "Wherever you are, drop down to your hands and knees and hold onto something sturdy," officials say. "If you're using a wheelchair or walker with a seat, make sure your wheels are locked and remain seated until the shaking stops." Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible. If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows. Once under a table, officials say you should hold on with one hand and be ready to move with it.

"There can be serious hazards after an earthquake, such as damage to the building, leaking gas and water lines, or downed power lines," officials say. "Expect aftershocks to follow the main shock of an earthquake. Be ready to Drop, Cover, and Hold On if you feel an aftershock."

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey

This article was generated by the CA Earthquake Bot, software that analyzes structured information, such as data, and applies it to articles based on templates created by journalists in the newsroom. No human journalist was harmed in this experiment. You can report errors or bugs to mcclatchybot@mcclatchy.com.

This story was originally published April 26, 2026 at 8:50 AM.

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