M2.8 Earthquake 8 km NW of Fincastle, Tennessee — May 26, 2021
2021-05-26 20:29:38 UTC (2021-05-26) · approx. 2:29 PM UTC-6 local
Felt by 26 people across nearby locations.
On May 26, 2021 at 20:29 UTC, a magnitude 2.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 8 km NW of Fincastle, Tennessee, at a depth of 11.8 km and coordinates 36.4717°, -84.1102°. This earthquake was detected by 37 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 132, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 2.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 265 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 54 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 26 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
-84.1102°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 2.8 earthquake near Fincastle, Tennessee?
The magnitude 2.8 earthquake that struck 8 km NW of Fincastle, Tennessee on May 26, 2021 at 20:29 UTC had a depth of 11.8 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 36.4717°, -84.1102°, which is 8 km NW of Fincastle, 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: se60357956). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, May 26, 2021). M2.8 Earthquake 8 km NW of Fincastle, Tennessee — May 26, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/se60357956/