M3.5 Earthquake 6 km NE of West Salem, Illinois — June 29, 2026
2026-06-29 07:05:42 UTC (2 hours ago) · approx. 1:05 AM UTC-6 local
Felt by 237 people across surrounding communities.
On June 29, 2026 at 07:05 UTC, a magnitude 3.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 6 km NE of West Salem, Illinois, at a depth of 19.1 km and coordinates 38.5658°, -87.9600°. The earthquake was reported felt by 237 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 3.8 (light). This earthquake was detected by 32 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 281, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 2.7 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 157 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
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 237 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
-87.9600°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.5 earthquake near West Salem, Illinois?
The magnitude 3.5 earthquake that struck 6 km NE of West Salem, Illinois on June 29, 2026 at 07:05 UTC had a depth of 19.1 km. It was felt by 237 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 3.8 (light). For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 38.5658°, -87.9600°, which is 6 km NE of West Salem, Illinois.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.5 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: nm60623916). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, June 29, 2026). M3.5 Earthquake 6 km NE of West Salem, Illinois — June 29, 2026. Retrieved June 29, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/nm60623916/