2.1

M2.1 Earthquake 32km SSW of Smith Valley, NV — July 20, 2021

2021-07-20 21:35:50 UTC (2021-07-20) · approx. 1:35 PM UTC-8 local

MagnitudeM2.1(md)
Time21:35 UTC≈ 1:35 PM UTC-8
Depth0.5 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates38.514°, -119.467°
Felt by3DYFI responses
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On July 20, 2021 at 21:35 UTC, a magnitude 2.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 32km SSW of Smith Valley, NV, at a depth of 0.5 km and coordinates 38.5138°, -119.4670°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 2.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 24.5 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 18 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 38.51°, -119.47°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 3 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M2.1 earthquake near 32km SSW of Smith Valley, NV

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
2.1 md
Depth
0.5 km
shallow crustal
Location
38.5138°N
-119.4670°E
Felt Reports
3
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
3.8
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
nc73596316
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
72
Stations Used
14
Azimuthal Gap
93.0°
Min Station Distance
0.024°
RMS Residual
0.04 sec
Last Updated
2021-09-25 21:08:22 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 2.1 earthquake near Smith Valley, NV?

The magnitude 2.1 earthquake that struck 32km SSW of Smith Valley, NV on July 20, 2021 at 21:35 UTC had a depth of 0.5 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 2.1 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 2.1 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: nc73596316). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, July 20, 2021). M2.1 Earthquake 32km SSW of Smith Valley, NV — July 20, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/nc73596316/