M4.9 Earthquake 10 km N of Smiths Ferry, Idaho — February 26, 2024
2024-02-26 17:25:43 UTC (2024-02-26) · approx. 9:25 AM UTC-8 local
Felt by 3,130 people across a wide area. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 6.0 (strong).
On February 26, 2024 at 17:25 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 10 km N of Smiths Ferry, Idaho, at a depth of 12.2 km and coordinates 44.3907°, -116.1108°. The earthquake was reported felt by 3,130 peopleacross a wide area, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 6.0 (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 113 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 1019, making it one of the most significant global earthquakes in recent days. The nearest populated place is Cascade (population 939).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Idaho, a region characterized by the track of the Yellowstone hotspot and the Centennial Tectonic Belt, producing both volcanic and tectonic seismicity. View all earthquakes in Idaho.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Nearest Populated Places
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 6.0 (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 3,130 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 | 264,907 |
| MMI 4 | light | 6,395 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 936 |
Earthquake Details
-116.1108°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Smiths Ferry, Idaho?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 10 km N of Smiths Ferry, Idaho on February 26, 2024 at 17:25 UTC had a depth of 12.2 km. It was felt by 3,130 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 6.0 (strong). For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 44.3907°, -116.1108°, which is 10 km N of Smiths Ferry, Idaho. The nearest populated place is Cascade (population 939). View all earthquakes in Idaho.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Idaho had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Idaho was the M7.3 Borah Peak earthquake of October 28, 1983. Today's magnitude 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000m1pd). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, February 26, 2024). M4.9 Earthquake 10 km N of Smiths Ferry, Idaho — February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 11, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000m1pd/