M4.0 Earthquake 1 km WNW of Cooter, Missouri — April 23, 2026
2026-04-23 17:59:04 UTC (2026-04-23) · approx. 11:59 AM UTC-6 local
Felt by 913 people across surrounding communities.
On April 23, 2026 at 17:59 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 1 km WNW of Cooter, Missouri, at a depth of 11.8 km and coordinates 36.0545°, -89.8258°. The earthquake was reported felt by 913 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 3.8 (light). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 88 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 639, making it a moderate-impact event. The nearest populated place is Caruthersville (population 5,606).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 15 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 347 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Nearest Populated Places
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 913 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
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 343,544 |
| MMI 4 | light | 24,977 |
Earthquake Details
-89.8258°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake near Cooter, Missouri?
The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck 1 km WNW of Cooter, Missouri on April 23, 2026 at 17:59 UTC had a depth of 11.8 km. It was felt by 913 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 3.8 (light). For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 36.0545°, -89.8258°, which is 1 km WNW of Cooter, Missouri. The nearest populated place is Caruthersville (population 5,606).
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
What should I do after an earthquake?
If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: nm60620376). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, April 23, 2026). M4.0 Earthquake 1 km WNW of Cooter, Missouri — April 23, 2026. Retrieved July 2, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/nm60620376/