M2.8 Earthquake 8 km N of Dyersburg, Tennessee — December 13, 2020
2020-12-13 23:53:13 UTC (2020-12-13) · approx. 5:53 PM UTC-6 local
Felt by 81 people across nearby locations.
On December 13, 2020 at 23:53 UTC, a magnitude 2.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 8 km N of Dyersburg, Tennessee, at a depth of 10.6 km and coordinates 36.1105°, -89.3975°. This earthquake was detected by 60 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 147, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 2.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 247 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 52 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Tennessee, a region characterized by the New Madrid Seismic Zone, a failed continental rift where reactivated ancient faults produced the devastating 1811-1812 earthquake sequence. The nearest mapped fault system is the New Madrid Seismic Zone. View all earthquakes in Tennessee.
Learn more: New Madrid Seismic Zone · Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 81 citizen responses 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
-89.3975°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 2.8 earthquake near Dyersburg, Tennessee?
The magnitude 2.8 earthquake that struck 8 km N of Dyersburg, Tennessee on December 13, 2020 at 23:53 UTC had a depth of 10.6 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 36.1105°, -89.3975°, which is 8 km N of Dyersburg, Tennessee. View all earthquakes in Tennessee.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 2.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Tennessee had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Tennessee was the M7.5 New Madrid earthquake of February 7, 1812. Today's magnitude 2.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: nm60337191). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 13, 2020). M2.8 Earthquake 8 km N of Dyersburg, Tennessee — December 13, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/nm60337191/