4.1 Quake Rattles Off South Oregon Coast Wednesday, A Few Days After 1.6 Quake

Published 05/14/26 at 12:55 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Bandon, Oregon) – A sizable earthquake hit the ocean floor off Bandon and Coos Bay earlier Tuesday afternoon at 2:43 p.m. (Graphic: USGS)

At a magnitude 4.1, it was slightly larger than usual, but it caused no tsunami alert. That would take at least a 7.1 quake – some thousands of times more powerful than this.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), it was centered six miles deep – as the vast majority of these quakes are. One person said they had felt it, according to the agency's website.

Bandon is about 174 miles east-southeast from the event. It was some 180 miles from Coos Bay, with Newport roughly 197 miles away, Roseburg 226 miles away, and Salem at approximately 251 miles away.

There was another tiny one on May 10 at 1.6 magnitude. That was closer to Florence on the central Oregon coast.

Bandon

The last large quake to hit the south coast was on January 6, 2026 – a big one at a magnitude 6.0. It shook around 7:30 p.m. This one was larger than the usual M 4.0 and below the area usually gets, although quakes in this region are frequent. It was far from any population center and no tsunami was expected.

That underwater shaker was centered 183 miles west of Bandon and some 190 miles west of Coos Bay, according to the USGS. Epicenter of the quake was six miles down and it happened at 7:35 p.m.

This one set off the “green pager” alert, which on land is often a warning that some fatalities could happen. However, this was at sea, more than 200 miles from Bandon, so it posed no risk to structures or people.

According to the USGS' website, 11 people claim to have felt it, although some from Portland chimed in – which is not likely.

Rather Large Magnitude 6.0 Quake Off South Oregon Coast, No Tsunami Threat - Happaning about 7:30 p.m. almost 200 miles from Bandon

Offshore earthquakes are common in this region, with dozens recorded each year.

The activity came from a well‑known cluster of faults near the Gorda Ridge and the Blanco Fracture Zone, an area that is highly active. Scientists emphasize that shaking in this offshore region is not directly connected to the Cascadia Subduction Zone, the major fault capable of producing a catastrophic megathrust earthquake.

Oregon, Coast Earthquake Updates - Live Data Oregon, Washington, California, Tsunamis

These events do not relieve pressure on any fault in the region.

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