USGS · August 18, 2026

Magnitude 2.9 earthquake — 75 km ENE of Tonopah, Nevada

A magnitude 2.9 earthquake was recorded near 75 km ENE of Tonopah, Nevada on Aug 18, 2026, 06:59 PM (local time at the epicentre — PDT, UTC-7), at a depth of about 11.4 km, according to USGS.

USGSShaking IIIShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist

Updated 2026-09-04 18:16 UTC

The full record

Magnitude
M 2.9 · local (Richter) magnitude
Location
75 km ENE of Tonopah, Nevada
Local time at the epicentre
Aug 18, 2026, 06:59 PM — PDT, UTC-7
Time (UTC)
2026-08-19 01:59 UTC
Depth
11.4 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
Coordinates
38.431, -116.496
Felt reports
No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
Estimated shaking
III · Weak
Tsunami
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Significance
125 / 1000 · routine event
Solution quality
6 seismic stations used · 149° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
Review status
Reviewed by a seismologist
Catalog
USGS

Open the official catalog record

Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes

The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.

What the shaking was like

Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.

Estimated instrumental shaking III (Weak): Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.

Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.

Who lives nearby

About 0 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 2,478 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.

PlaceDistancePopulation
Tonopah75.8 km WSW2,478

Earthquake history in this area

12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in California.

Other earthquakes near this epicentre

4 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.

Be first to know about the next earthquake near 75 km ENE of Tonopah, Nevada

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Frequently asked questions

How strong was the 75 km ENE of Tonopah, Nevada earthquake?

Magnitude 2.9 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 11.4 km. Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.

Exactly when did it happen?

Aug 18, 2026, 06:59 PM (local time at the epicentre — PDT, UTC-7). In universal time: 2026-08-19 01:59 UTC.

Was it felt?

No “Did You Feel It?” reports were submitted for this event. Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.

Was there a tsunami warning?

No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.

Which towns are closest to the epicentre?

The closest is Tonopah, 75.8 km WSW (population 2,478).

Are earthquakes normal in this area?

Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 6.5 (Monte Cristo Range, NV Earthquake, 2020), and 4 further events were recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.

How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?

Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.

About this page

Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and, in Venezuela, FUNVISIS. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.