M3.1 Earthquake 27km SSW of Smith Valley, NV — August 21, 2021
2021-08-21 20:22:01 UTC (2021-08-21) · approx. 12:22 PM UTC-8 local
On August 21, 2021 at 20:22 UTC, a magnitude 3.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 27km SSW of Smith Valley, NV, at a depth of -1.5 km and coordinates 38.5533°, -119.4293°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 607 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 79 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-119.4293°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.1 earthquake near Smith Valley, NV?
The magnitude 3.1 earthquake that struck 27km SSW of Smith Valley, NV on August 21, 2021 at 20:22 UTC had a depth of -1.5 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 3.1 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.1 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: nc73613051). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, August 21, 2021). M3.1 Earthquake 27km SSW of Smith Valley, NV — August 21, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/nc73613051/