Earthquake Now: 3.5-magnitude quake off Rancho Palos Verdes coast

A magnitude 3. 5 earthquake struck late Sunday night near Catalina Island, and earthquake now alerts and felt reports spread along the Los Angeles County coastline. The temblor was centered within miles of Rancho Palos Verdes and Los Angeles and occurred at a relatively shallow depth, raising immediate interest from local monitoring systems.

Earthquake Now: timing, magnitude and location near Catalina Island

The quake registered magnitude 3. 5 and occurred at 9: 40 p. m. Sunday. It was centered about 13 miles from Rancho Palos Verdes and about 13 miles from Los Angeles, and roughly 14 miles from Palos Verdes Estates, 14 miles from Rolling Hills Estates and 14 miles from Avalon on Catalina Island. The geographic proximity to Catalina Island and the South Bay shoreline placed multiple coastal communities within a short distance of the epicenter.

Depth and immediate aftershock recorded

The main event occurred at a depth of 6. 8 miles, a figure described elsewhere as nearly seven miles. Minutes after the initial temblor, a smaller 1. 9-magnitude aftershock was recorded. Monitoring data captured both events and flagged the shallow depth as part of the event record.

Where people felt it and reports of damage or injury

Felt reports extended along the Los Angeles County coastline and reached as far east as northern Orange County near Fullerton. There have been no reports of injuries or damage connected to this earthquake. Officials encourage anyone who felt the shaking to submit what they experienced through the regional "Did You Feel It?" reporting channel maintained by seismic monitors.

Recent regional seismic activity and local averages

This quake is the third reported off the Southern California coast in the last week. Earlier in the week there was a 3. 0-magnitude incident centered about 11 miles southeast of Port Hueneme in Ventura County and a 2. 9-magnitude temblor centered about four miles west of Malibu. In the last 10 days, there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3. 0 or greater centered nearby. Over a recent three-year sample, an average of five earthquakes with magnitudes of 3. 0 to 4. 0 occur per year in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Automated monitoring, follow-up and related coverage

The initial notice of the event was generated by an automated monitoring application called Quakebot; an editor reviewed the item before publication. Quakebot monitors the latest detections from seismic monitors and is maintained by a newspaper data and graphics department. Separate local coverage noted an update timestamp of February 23, 2026 / 1: 26 AM ET for continuing developments and described this as a developing story that may be updated as more information arrives.

Preparedness resources and unrelated program notes highlighted alongside the report

One preparedness effort mentioned alongside coverage is a six-week newsletter called Unshaken that breaks down emergency preparedness into steps, including guidance on earthquake kits, recommended apps and advice associated with Lucy Jones. Also appearing in adjacent editorial material: a taped Jan. 8, 2026 episode featuring Ondi Timoner, who after losing her home began documenting displacement and financial struggles and joined My Tribe Rise to help Altadena rebuild and recover. Other items in the same coverage feed included a note that attorney Frank Carson defended an accused person for decades; that individual was framed for murder and later acquitted after a star witness admitted to lying, and Stanislaus County paid $22. 5 million to settle the estate's lawsuit. A specially released bonus episode was also highlighted in that feed in which Madison McGhee and Jami Rice share strongly opinionated takes on the Menendez Brothers and Jax Taylor.

• Key figures: magnitude 3. 5 main shock; 1. 9 magnitude aftershock; depth 6. 8 miles; time 9: 40 p. m. Sunday.
• Nearby reference points: 13 miles from Rancho Palos Verdes and Los Angeles; 14 miles from Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills Estates and Avalon on Catalina Island.

This account will be updated as new monitoring data or official notices become available.