M4.8 Earthquake near El Cardo, Peru — 23 July 2026
A light earthquake of magnitude 4.8 was recorded near El Cardo, Peru on , with an epicentre 33 km north-northwest of El Cardo, at a focal depth of 96.3 km.
Time (UTC): 2026-07-23 02:38:25
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 4.8 (light)
Focal depth: 96.3 km (intermediate)
Epicentre: -16.3095, -72.8016
Location: 33 km NNW of El Cardo, Peru
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items.
A magnitude 4.8 earthquake radiates roughly 239 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 354, which is below the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at -16.3095, -72.8016 — 33 km north-northwest of El Cardo. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.8 earthquake 34 km east of here on 04 April 2025.
Why the 96 km depth matters
At 96 km this was an intermediate-depth earthquake. Energy from events at this depth spreads out before it reaches the surface, which usually means weaker shaking near the epicentre than a shallow quake of the same magnitude, but shaking felt across a wider area.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M4.8 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.
51 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 6.0 event near San Pedro on 17 May 2025. This M4.8 event released about 63 times less energy than that event.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the July 2026 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M4.8 earthquake near El Pedregal, Peru — (34 km E)
- M4.5 earthquake near Iray, Peru — (44 km N)
- M4.3 earthquake near Urasqui, Peru — (44 km W)
- M4.9 earthquake near Iray, Peru — (54 km NNE)
- M4.8 earthquake near Atico, Peru — (64 km WNW)
- M4.6 earthquake near Atico, Peru — (73 km WNW)
- M4.1 earthquake near Uñon, Peru — (73 km NNE)
- M4.2 earthquake near Camaná, Peru — (76 km S)
- M4.2 earthquake near El Pedregal, Peru — (82 km E)
- M4.7 earthquake near Atico, Peru — (93 km WSW)
Other magnitude 4 earthquakes worldwide
- M4.9 earthquake near Atka, Alaska —
- M4.9 earthquake near Atka, Alaska —
- M4.5 earthquake near Abepura, Indonesia —
- M4.6 earthquake near Honmachi, Japan —
- M5.1 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands —
- M4.9 earthquake near Matsubase, Japan —
- M5.1 earthquake near Tristan da Cunha region —
- M5.1 earthquake near Tristan da Cunha region —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 4.8 earthquake?
Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items. A magnitude 4.8 earthquake radiates roughly 239 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near El Cardo?
At 96 km this was an intermediate-depth earthquake. Energy from events at this depth spreads out before it reaches the surface, which usually means weaker shaking near the epicentre than a shallow quake of the same magnitude, but shaking felt across a wider area.
Was the M4.8 earthquake near El Cardo felt?
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M4.8 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
Have there been aftershocks?
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.
How often do earthquakes happen near El Cardo?
51 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 6.0 event near San Pedro on 17 May 2025. This M4.8 event released about 63 times less energy than that event.