M4.3 Earthquake 15 km SW of Smoky Lake, Canada — May 9, 2026
2026-05-09 15:05:05 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 7:05 AM UTC-8 local
Felt by 9 people across nearby locations. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 5.2 (strong).
On May 9, 2026 at 15:05 UTC, a magnitude 4.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 15 km SW of Smoky Lake, Canada, at a depth of 9.6 km and coordinates 54.0090°, -112.6217°. The earthquake was reported felt by 9 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 5.2 (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 98 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 289, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Lamont (population 1,774).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 43 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 558 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 9 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 | 1,510,539 |
| MMI 4 | light | 598,400 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 1,609 |
Earthquake Details
-112.6217°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.3 earthquake near Smoky Lake, Canada?
The magnitude 4.3 earthquake that struck 15 km SW of Smoky Lake, Canada on May 9, 2026 at 15:05 UTC had a depth of 9.6 km. It was felt by 9 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 5.2 (strong). For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 54.0090°, -112.6217°, which is 15 km SW of Smoky Lake, Canada. The nearest populated place is Lamont (population 1,774).
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.3 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: us6000swh4). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, May 9, 2026). M4.3 Earthquake 15 km SW of Smoky Lake, Canada — May 9, 2026. Retrieved May 9, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000swh4/