M5.1 Earthquake 25 km S of Mina, Nevada — December 1, 2020
2020-12-01 23:32:56 UTC (2020-12-01) · approx. 3:32 PM UTC-8 local
Felt by 130 people across surrounding communities. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 5.3 (strong).
On December 1, 2020 at 23:32 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 25 km S of Mina, Nevada, at a depth of 5.0 km and coordinates 38.1637°, -118.0837°. The earthquake was reported felt by 130 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 5.3 (strong). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 21 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 453, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Hawthorne (population 3,269).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Nevada, a region characterized by Basin and Range extensional tectonics, where normal faulting accommodates east-west crustal stretching at approximately 10 mm per year. The nearest mapped fault system is the Walker Lane fault zone. View all earthquakes in Nevada.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Nearest Populated Places
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 5.3 (strong), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Moderate shaking that everyone in the area would feel. Sleeping people are awakened. Dishes and windows may break. Unstable objects may be knocked over.
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 130 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 | 713 |
| MMI 4 | light | 2 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 1 |
Earthquake Details
-118.0837°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Mina, Nevada?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 25 km S of Mina, Nevada on December 1, 2020 at 23:32 UTC had a depth of 5.0 km. It was felt by 130 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 5.3 (strong). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 38.1637°, -118.0837°, which is 25 km S of Mina, Nevada. The nearest populated place is Hawthorne (population 3,269). View all earthquakes in Nevada.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Has Nevada had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Nevada was the M7.3 Pleasant Valley earthquake of October 2, 1915. Today's magnitude 5.1 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: nn00787105). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 1, 2020). M5.1 Earthquake 25 km S of Mina, Nevada — December 1, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/nn00787105/