2.8

M2.8 Earthquake 19 km NNE of Yerington, NevadaDecember 9, 2024

2024-12-09 23:32:29 UTC (2024-12-09) · approx. 3:32 PM UTC-8 local

Felt by 21 people across nearby locations.

MagnitudeM2.8(ml)
Time23:32 UTC3:32 PM UTC-8
Depth13.5 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates39.144°, -119.073°
Felt by21DYFI responses
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 9, 2024 at 23:32 UTC, a magnitude 2.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 19 km NNE of Yerington, Nevada, at a depth of 13.5 km and coordinates 39.1435°, -119.0734°. This earthquake was detected by 26 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 129, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 2.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 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 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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 39.14°, -119.07°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 21 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M2.8 earthquake near 19 km NNE of Yerington, Nevada

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
2.8 ml
Depth
13.5 km
shallow crustal
Location
39.1435°N
-119.0734°E
Felt Reports
21
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
4.1
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
nn00888595
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
129
Stations Used
26
Azimuthal Gap
84.6°
Min Station Distance
0.205°
RMS Residual
0.12 sec
Last Updated
2025-02-18 20:02:52 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 2.8 earthquake near Yerington, Nevada?

The magnitude 2.8 earthquake that struck 19 km NNE of Yerington, Nevada on December 9, 2024 at 23:32 UTC had a depth of 13.5 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 39.1435°, -119.0734°, which is 19 km NNE of Yerington, Nevada. View all earthquakes in Nevada.

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 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 2.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: nn00888595). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 9, 2024). M2.8 Earthquake 19 km NNE of Yerington, NevadaDecember 9, 2024. Retrieved February 18, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/nn00888595/