North Carolina · Earthquakes
North Carolina earthquakes today and on record
Earthquakes are rare in North Carolina, but not unknown. The USGS catalog lists 10 of magnitude 3.5 or more since 1900, the largest a magnitude 5.2 in 1916. Below: every quake in the state this week, a map, and the biggest since 1900.
Updated . Data: U.S. Geological Survey.
- Last 24 hours
- 0
- Past 7 days
- 0
- Most recent
- None this week
- Largest on record
- M5.2 (1916)
- M3.5+ since 1900
- 10
- M5+ since 1900
- 2
Earthquakes in North Carolina this week
No earthquakes recorded in this period.
That is normal here. Many years pass without a quake big enough to feel.
Biggest earthquakes in North Carolina since 1900
| Mag | Where | Date | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.2 | Near Asheville, North Carolina | Feb 21, 1916 | 0 km |
| 5.1 | 4 km SE of Sparta, North Carolina | Aug 9, 2020 | 4 km |
| 4.0 | 14 km SSW of Spruce Pine, North Carolina | May 13, 1957 | 5 km |
| 3.9 | 5 km ENE of Tate City, Georgia | Nov 24, 1957 | 0 km |
| 3.7 | Western North Carolina | Aug 26, 1916 | 0 km |
| 3.7 | 11 km WSW of Woodfin, North Carolina | Jul 2, 1957 | 7 km |
| 3.7 | 3 km ESE of Hot Springs, North Carolina | Aug 25, 2005 | 8 km |
| 3.6 | 4 km SSW of Bayboro, North Carolina | Aug 6, 1994 | 0 km |
| 3.5 | 2 km NE of Barker Heights, North Carolina | May 5, 1981 | 10 km |
| 3.5 | 3 km SE of Lake Santeetlah, North Carolina | Feb 18, 1988 | 2 km |
Quakes of magnitude 3.5+ by decade
Older decades look quieter partly because there were far fewer seismometers. Counts before about 1970 are incomplete.
Good to know
When was the last earthquake in North Carolina?
None of magnitude 2.5 or more in the past week. The most recent of magnitude 3.5 or more in the long-term catalog was in 2020.
What was the biggest earthquake in North Carolina?
A magnitude 5.2 near Near Asheville, North Carolina on February 21, 1916, the largest in the USGS catalog for the state since 1900.
Does North Carolina get earthquakes?
Earthquakes are rare in North Carolina, but not unknown. The USGS catalog lists 10 of magnitude 3.5 or more since 1900, the largest a magnitude 5.2 in 1916. The USGS national hazard map is the best guide to the chance of strong shaking where you live.
Also in North Carolina
North Carolina tornado history · Earthquakes today, nationwide · Did I just feel an earthquake?
Other states
History: USGS earthquake catalog, magnitude 3.5 and up since 1900, matched to the state by location (quakes just offshore count for the nearest state). Live: USGS real-time feeds.