M2.6 earthquake — 16 km SSW of Jal, New Mexico

An magnitude 2.6 earthquake occurred 16 km SSW of Jal, New Mexico on Oct 21, 2026 at 09:33 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 6 km — a shallow earthquake. Shallow quakes concentrate their energy near the surface, so they tend to produce stronger shaking close to the epicenter.
Event data
| Magnitude | M2.6 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 5.8 km |
| Coordinates | 31.989, -103.289 |
| Time | Oct 21, 09:33 UTC |
| Location | 16 km SSW of Jal, New Mexico |
| USGS event ID | tx2026usotpq |
What this magnitude typically means
Very small earthquakes are usually only detected by instruments and are rarely felt. They are a normal part of background seismic activity. Tremor does not compute a single local shaking figure here, because how strong a quake feels at any address depends on distance, depth and local geology — open the interactive globe to explore the ShakeMap and estimated intensity.
Nearby recent earthquakes
| Magnitude | Distance | Time (UTC) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| M2.6 | 1 km | Oct 21, 18:53 UTC | 16 km SSW of Jal, New Mexico |
| M2.6 | 42 km | Oct 26, 19:38 UTC | 37 km ESE of Malaga, New Mexico |
| M2.5 | 88 km | Oct 22, 05:48 UTC | 23 km SSW of Lovington, New Mexico |
| M2.5 | 89 km | Oct 21, 13:10 UTC | 50 km NW of Toyah, Texas |
| M3.8 | 89 km | Oct 21, 12:45 UTC | 49 km NW of Toyah, Texas |
| M2.7 | 91 km | Oct 21, 09:34 UTC | 20 km SW of Lovington, New Mexico |
Earthquake activity in this area
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Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Automated readings may be revised. Not for emergency use.