An earthquake of magnitude 2.9 occurred in the morning on Sunday, March 22nd, 2026, at 8:43 am local time near Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France, as reported by France's Réseau National de Surveillance Sismique (RéNaSS).According to preliminary data, the quake was located at a very shallow depth of 0. km. Shallow earthquakes are felt more strongly than deeper ones as they are closer to the surface. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.A second report was later issued by France's Military Applications Division - Earth and Environmental Science (CEA), which listed it as a magnitude 3.5 earthquake. A third agency, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), reported the same quake at magnitude 2.8.Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake should not have caused any significant damage, but was probably felt by many people as light vibration in the area of the epicenter. Weak shaking might have been felt in Bielle (pop. 480) located 4 km from the epicenter, and Arudy (pop. 2,400) 6 km away.Other towns or cities near the epicenter where the quake might have been felt as very weak shaking include Oloron-Sainte-Marie (pop. 12,600) located 18 km from the epicenter. In Billere (pop. 14,900, 28 km away), Lons (pop. 13,900, 29 km away), Pau (pop. 82,700, 30 km away), Lourdes (pop. 15,800, 36 km away), and Tarbes (pop. 52,100, 49 km away), the quake was probably not felt.Earthquake data: Date & time: Mar 22, 2026 08:43 am (GMT +1) local time (22 Mar 2026 07:43 GMT)Magnitude: 2.9Depth: 0.00 kmEpicenter latitude / longitude: 43.06°N / 0.48°W (Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France)Primary data source: RENASS