M3.5 Earthquake 8 km NNW of Smiths Ferry, Idaho — March 12, 2024
2024-03-12 16:50:42 UTC (2024-03-12) · approx. 8:50 AM UTC-8 local
Felt by 34 people across nearby locations.
On March 12, 2024 at 16:50 UTC, a magnitude 3.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 8 km NNW of Smiths Ferry, Idaho, at a depth of 16.3 km and coordinates 44.3733°, -116.1305°. The earthquake was reported felt by 34 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 3.2 (light). This earthquake was detected by 93 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 202, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 2.7 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 157 m — 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
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 34 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
-116.1305°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.5 earthquake near Smiths Ferry, Idaho?
The magnitude 3.5 earthquake that struck 8 km NNW of Smiths Ferry, Idaho on March 12, 2024 at 16:50 UTC had a depth of 16.3 km. It was felt by 34 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 3.2 (light). For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 44.3733°, -116.1305°, which is 8 km NNW of Smiths Ferry, Idaho. View all earthquakes in Idaho.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.5 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 3.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000m4v4). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, March 12, 2024). M3.5 Earthquake 8 km NNW of Smiths Ferry, Idaho — March 12, 2024. Retrieved October 9, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000m4v4/