On Friday Night a Shallow M5.2 Earthquake struck near Reno in The United States.

Written by Earthquakelist.org on May 1st, 2026. Last updated May 24th, 2026.

Under land 43 miles from Reno in The United States, a shallow and significant M5.2 earthquake occurred in the night of Friday May 1st, 2026. Roughly 2.9 million people may have felt this earthquake.

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Earthquake Summary

The earthquake struck on land in The United States, 43 miles (70 km) east of Reno in Nevada. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 3 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	May 1, 2026 01:17AM (Los Angeles Time) - May 1, 2026 08:17 Universal Time.
Location:	43 mi east of Reno, Nevada, The United States. Coordinates 39°18'24"N 119°2'48"W.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 5.2 Detected by 60 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.2 .
Depth:	3 mi (5 km) A very shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	VII Very Strong On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Tsunami very unlikely While this was a shallow earthquake, it appears to have occurred under land with a magnitude not strong enough to cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact.

Roughly 2.9 million people exposed to shaking

An estimated 2.9 million have been exposed to shaking (An MMI or Modified Mercalli Intensity level II or higher) as a result of this earthquake according scientific estimates published by the USGS.

The highest earthquake impact level for this earthquake is V, which corresponds with moderate shaking and very light damage. Roughly 5,920 people are expected to be exposed to this level. Intensity level II was experienced by the majority of people (around 2.1 million). In their region, very weak shaking and no damage can be expected.

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in The United States . Located 24 miles (38 km) south-east of the epicenter of this earthquake, Fernley (Nevada, The United States) is the nearest significant population center. Fernley experienced an earthquake intensity (MMI Scale) of roughly IV. That level implies light shaking and likely no damage.

Multiple major population centers exist within 300km of the earthquake that struck today. Reno is located 43 mi to the west and experienced an intensity of III (weak shaking, probably no damage). Sacramento is located 141 mi to the west (intensity unknown, possibly low). Fresno is located 181 mi to the south (intensity unknown, possibly low).

The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake. Where available, the estimated intensity on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale in each place is included. Places where this information is omitted likely experienced little impact.

Overview of nearby places

Earthquake Intensity Map

The intensity in shaking and damage by this earthquake is illustrated through the map below. The highest intensity measured for this earthquake is VI.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

17 Aftershocks detected

Since this main shock, 17 smaller aftershocks were detected. A 3.6 magnitude earthquake hit 3 days later 3 mi (5 km) southwest of this earthquake.

Before this earthquake struck, 6 smaller foreshocks occurred. A 4.3 magnitude earthquake hit 1 min earlier nearby.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

More earthquakes coming?

Aftershocks are usually at least 1 order of magnitude less strong than main shocks. The more time passes, the smaller the chance and likely strength of any potential aftershocks.

The chance that a significant earthquake like this one is followed by an even larger earthquake is not so large. On average, scientists estimate a 94% chance that a major earthquake will not be followed by an even larger one. It is still adviced to be aware of this risk

Earthquakes like this are common in the region

Earthquakes of this strength occur quite regularly in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since April 14th, 2026, when a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit 2.8 mi (5 km) further north-east. An even stronger magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck on May 15th, 2020.

In total, 9 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.2 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every year.

Tsunami very unlikely

While MAG-6.5+ earthquakes may cause tsunami's, it appears that the epicenter of this earthquake hit under land. In addition, the reported depth is deeper than 100km, making the risk of a tsunami even less likely. However always stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Sources

Last updated 24/05/26 02:08 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.

1. US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake nn00916980
2. European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20260501_0000115
3. Geonames.org: World Cities Database
4. Google Maps: Static API
5. Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database

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