South Dakota · Earthquakes
South Dakota earthquakes today and on record
Earthquakes are rare in South Dakota, but not unknown. The USGS catalog lists 19 of magnitude 3.5 or more since 1900, the largest a magnitude 4.5 in 1911. 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
- M4.5 (1911)
- M3.5+ since 1900
- 19
- M5+ since 1900
- 0
Earthquakes in South Dakota 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 South Dakota since 1900
| Mag | Where | Date | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5 | South of Huron, South Dakota | Jun 2, 1911 | 0 km |
| 4.4 | 16 km N of Fort Thompson, South Dakota | Mar 4, 1983 | 5 km |
| 4.3 | 1 km NE of Tyndall, South Dakota | Nov 15, 1982 | 5 km |
| 4.2 | 30 km WSW of Fort Pierre, South Dakota | Dec 31, 1961 | 23 km |
| 4.1 | 3 km NW of Wessington Springs, South Dakota | Jul 23, 1946 | 0 km |
| 4.0 | 8 km N of Manderson-White Horse Creek, South Dakota | Jan 28, 1990 | 5 km |
| 4.0 | 10 km SSW of Martin, South Dakota | May 25, 2003 | 5 km |
| 4.0 | South Dakota | Nov 14, 2011 | 5 km |
| 3.7 | Nebraska-South Dakota border | May 10, 1906 | 0 km |
| 3.7 | 8 km SSE of New Effington, South Dakota | Oct 20, 1995 | 5 km |
| 3.7 | 13 km WNW of Hill City, South Dakota | Feb 6, 1996 | 5 km |
| 3.7 | 10 km NE of Anoka, Nebraska | Jun 4, 2021 | 5 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 South Dakota?
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 2025.
What was the biggest earthquake in South Dakota?
A magnitude 4.5 near South of Huron, South Dakota on June 2, 1911, the largest in the USGS catalog for the state since 1900.
Does South Dakota get earthquakes?
Earthquakes are rare in South Dakota, but not unknown. The USGS catalog lists 19 of magnitude 3.5 or more since 1900, the largest a magnitude 4.5 in 1911. The USGS national hazard map is the best guide to the chance of strong shaking where you live.
Also in South Dakota
South Dakota 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.