Earthquake Science Center

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck near Tonopah, Nevada, near the California-Nevada border and about 120 miles southeast of Carson City, early this morning on May 15, 2020, at 4:03 am local time (11:03:27 UTC).

On March 31, 2020, a  magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck  near Boise, ID, in the Challis National Forest. Seismic instruments indicate the earthquake originated at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers).

On March 26, 2020, a  magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck West Texas near the New Mexico border. Seismic instruments indicate the earthquake originated at a depth of 5.3 miles (8.5 kilometers). 

Updated Forecast Shows 1% Chance of Aftershock Above 5.7

USGS experts recently released a study that incorporates the latest earthquake science findings into an update of the National Seismic Hazard Model for the “lower-48” United States.  Read the full report here:  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/8755293019878199

Today, the U.S. Geological Survey and the State of California pressed the “go” button to allow the first-ever statewide public testing of the California Early Earthquake Warning System, which is powered by USGS’s earthquake early warning alerts, called ShakeAlerts.

How will ShakeAlert® likely perform now on a large earthquake impacting a major urban area? How much warning will you get? To answer this, let’s do a thought experiment...

Read the new Science for Everyone article at What if the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System...

When the ground starts to shake, what do you do?  Great ShakeOut 2019:  Drop, Cover, and Hold On!

The goal of an earthquake early warning (EEW) system is to provide an alert to people and automatic systems after an earthquake begins but before the shaking reaches their location. Two recent studies explored the timeliness and accuracy of alerts.

Read Earthquake Early Warning...

Two of the first questions that come to mind for anyone who just felt an earthquake are, “Will there be another one?” and “Will it be larger?”.

Read Could the M7.1 Ridgecrest, CA Earthquake Sequence Trigger a Large Earthquake Nearby?

 Learn About USGS Hazards Science and More About National Preparedness Month:  The very nature of natural hazards means that they have the potential to impact a majority of Americans every year.  USGS science provides part of the foundation for emergency preparedness whenever and wherever disaster strikes.