Honestly, there is something visceral about seeing a room start to vibrate on your phone screen. You’re sitting on your couch, scrolling, and suddenly you’re watching a chandelier in Gujarat swing like a pendulum or hearing that low, guttural rumble from a dashcam in California. It hits different. Today, January 17, 2026, has been one of those days where the USGS sensors and social media feeds are basically racing each other to see who can report the latest tremor first.
We’ve seen a flurry of activity. From a 4.1 magnitude shake in India’s Kutch district to those smaller, annoying "micro-quakes" rattling windows near Avenal, California, the planet feels a bit restless.
People are flooding X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok with videos of today's earthquake almost as soon as the shaking stops. Sometimes while it’s still happening. It’s wild how fast we go from "Did you feel that?" to "Look what my Nest cam caught."
What the videos of today's earthquake actually show us
If you’ve been looking at the footage from Gujarat this morning, it’s not about massive buildings falling over—thankfully. A 4.1 isn't a "city-killer." But the videos are still eerie. You see the dust shaking off ceiling fans. You hear the dogs barking long before the humans realize what’s happening. In the Kutch district, which is a "high-risk" seismic zone according to the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR), people are used to this, but they still ran into the streets at 1:22 a.m. local time.
That’s the reality of a "moderate" quake. It’s the panic.
In California, the videos of today's earthquake look a bit different. We’re talking about a 2.8 magnitude near Avenal and some tiny micro-quakes near Coso Junction. You might see a ring camera footage where a cat jumps off a sofa for no apparent reason, or a doorbell camera capturing a subtle rattle of a screen door. It seems small until you realize these are the same fault lines that have been "acting up" all week.
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The science behind the "Viral" shake
Why does the footage look so shaky? Well, physics.
When an earthquake hits, it releases two main types of waves:
- P-waves: The fast ones. They feel like a sudden thud or a "jolt."
- S-waves: The ones that follow and do the actual "rolling" or "shaking."
Most videos of today's earthquake captured by stationary security cameras show the P-wave hit first—that's the moment the camera lens vibrates—and then the S-waves arrive to make the furniture move. Seismologists at Caltech often use this crowd-sourced video data to actually verify the intensity of shaking in specific neighborhoods where they might not have a high-end sensor sitting in a backyard.
Why we're obsessed with watching the earth move
There is a psychological element here. Fear, mostly. But also a weird sense of community. When you see a video of a 5.0 aftershock in Mexico—which happened just yesterday and is still trending—you aren't just looking at a natural disaster. You’re watching a shared human experience.
Mexico has had over 4,700 aftershocks since the big 6.5 hit San Marcos on January 2nd. Think about that. 4,700. The videos coming out of Mexico City today aren't of destruction; they’re of people standing in the streets in their pajamas at midnight because the seismic alarms went off again.
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It’s exhausting. You can see it in their faces.
Comparing today's quakes: A quick look
- Kutch, India: 4.1 magnitude. Epicenter 55 km from Khavda. Mostly "panic" footage and swinging lights.
- Avenal, California: 2.8 magnitude. Very shallow (6 miles deep), which makes the shaking feel sharper even if it's "small."
- Kasilof, Alaska: 1.8 magnitude. Deep (32 miles). Likely only felt by the most sensitive sensors and maybe one very confused moose.
- Mexico (Aftershocks): 5.0 and smaller. Constant tension.
The danger of "Fake" earthquake videos
Here is something nobody talks about: the grifters.
Whenever "earthquake" starts trending, people start re-uploading old footage from the 2011 Japan Tsunami or the 2023 Turkey-Syria quake and labeling it as "Live" or "Today."
Don't fall for it.
If you see a video of a skyscraper collapsing and the caption says it's from today's 4.1 in India, it’s fake. A 4.1 doesn't knock down skyscrapers. Check the weather in the video. Check the street signs. Most importantly, check the USGS or the EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre) websites. If the magnitude doesn't match the damage, someone is chasing clout.
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What to do if you're the one filming
If you find yourself in a situation where you can actually record videos of today's earthquake, please, for the love of everything, stop filming and get under a table.
"Drop, Cover, and Hold On" is the golden rule for a reason.
The USGS is very clear: most injuries during earthquakes aren't from collapsing buildings. They’re from falling objects. Televisions, bookshelves, and light fixtures. If you're holding a phone up to record the "cool swinging light," you’re standing right under the thing most likely to hit you in the head.
Expert-backed safety steps for right now
- Check your surroundings: If you felt today's shake, look for cracks in your drywall or leaks in gas lines.
- Secure the "V-shape": If you're in a high-rise, stay away from windows. The glass is the first thing to go.
- Prepare for aftershocks: Especially in places like Mexico or the Kutch district, the first shake is rarely the last.
- Use the "Did You Feel It?" tool: Go to the USGS website and report your experience. It helps scientists map the "shake zone" better than any TikTok video ever could.
The earth is a living, moving thing. Today’s activity is a reminder that we’re just guests on its crust. While it's tempting to stay glued to the screen watching videos of today's earthquake, the best thing you can do is make sure your own "go-bag" is packed and your heavy furniture is bolted to the wall.
Tomorrow might be quiet, or it might be another day of "Did you feel that?"
Be ready.
Go to the official USGS "Latest Earthquakes" map to see if any new activity has popped up in your specific zip code within the last hour. If you have elderly neighbors, give them a quick call to make sure they aren't rattled—sometimes the anxiety of a quake is worse than the actual shaking.