M 4.0 Earthquake Strikes 20 km SSW of Tonopah, Nevada

Source: USGS · Nevada

Areazine synthesizes this USGS earthquake report directly from USGS's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.

A magnitude 3.98 earthquake occurred 20 km south-southwest of Tonopah, Nevada, at a depth of approximately 16 km on June 28, 2026, at 12:30 AM UTC.

What this USGS earthquake report tells you, and what most readers miss

This notice was issued by USGS on April 24, 2026 and geographically references Nevada. Its severity classification of "low" signals how the issuing agency weighs the risk of harm if no action is taken - "critical" and "high" tier alerts typically carry direct consumer actions, while "medium" and "low" tend toward informational guidance or monitoring advisories. The category it belongs to - Earthquakes - determines the monitoring protocol behind it, which shapes what follow-up action (checking for structural damage, watching for aftershocks, reviewing local building codes) is relevant and which agency holds authority over the assessment.

Most readers skim a notice like this, check whether they are personally affected, and move on. The more useful lens is to read it as a data point about the issuing system: how quickly USGS detected the hazard, how precise the geographic or product-identifier scope is, and whether similar notices have clustered in the same category or region in the last 90 days. Cluster patterns frequently precede a broader regulatory action, a single localized USGS earthquake report is isolated; three of them within a quarter often indicate a supply-chain, infrastructure, or seasonal driver that will keep producing notices until something structural changes.

For decision-making, Areazine pairs each alert with the original agency URL, the full agency name, and a timestamp so you can verify the notice against the primary source before acting on it. Tags on this item (earthquake, seismic, usgs, Nevada) map to related alerts in the same area of risk - browsing them together gives a clearer picture than any single notice alone, because the shape of an ongoing issue only becomes visible across multiple sequential alerts.

Earthquake Report

What Happened

An earthquake with a magnitude of 3.98 ml struck 20 km SSW of Tonopah, Nevada. The event occurred on June 28, 2026, at 12:30 AM UTC, at a depth of 15.98 km.

Location Details

The earthquake's epicenter was at coordinates 37.8946° N, 117.2998° W, approximately 20 km south-southwest of Tonopah, Nevada. With a depth of 15.98 km, this is considered a shallow earthquake, typically occurring in the Earth's crust near the surface and potentially more noticeable in nearby areas.

Impact Assessment

There are no felt reports available for this earthquake, and no tsunami advisory has been issued.

What You Should Know

This minor earthquake, with a magnitude around 4.0, may have been felt locally but is unlikely to cause damage. It is possible for aftershocks to occur, so residents should be aware of basic safety tips such as securing heavy items and knowing how to drop, cover, and hold on during shaking.

Source

Information from USGS: Event Page

Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗

All Earthquakes →

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this USGS earthquake report.

What is this USGS earthquake report about?
A magnitude 3.98 earthquake occurred 20 km south-southwest of Tonopah, Nevada, at a depth of approximately 16 km on June 28, 2026, at 12:30 AM UTC.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by USGS. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "low" severity. No immediate action required, but stay aware.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Nevada. Check with USGS for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Earthquakes updates?
Browse the full Earthquakes feed on Areazine at areazine.com/earthquakes/ for the latest updates from USGS and other agencies.