QuakeIndex

Earthquake · reviewed by a seismologist

M 2.0md

Earthquake near Russellville, AL

No earthquake was likely felt in Russellville in the 24 hours to 4:52 pm CST (22:52 UTC). The last one was M 4.0, 256 km (159 mi) NW, at 12:59 pm CDT on 23 April 2026, estimated intensity II (weak) in town; 913 felt reports to USGS. Every earthquake near Russellville

This page: a magnitude 2.0 earthquake was recorded 11 km (7 mi) south of Russellville, AL, at 2:23 am CDT on 27 October 2017 (07:23 UTC), 5.0 km deep. 1 person has reported feeling it to USGS.

USGS: 2 km N of Spruce Pine, Alabama

2:23 am CDT, Oct 27, 2017 · · 5.0 km deep · released about 26 lb of TNT

10 km30 km60 km120 km N Franklin County 11 kmColbert County 33 kmMarion County 33 kmLawrence County 40 kmWinston County 44 kmLauderdale County 55 kmTishomingo County 59 kmItawamba County 60 kmPrentiss County 76 km
Distance rings around the epicentre, with the nearest towns at their true direction and later quakes as coloured dots. Not a shaking map — see the USGS ShakeMap for that.
When
2:23 am CDT on 27 October 2017 ()
Where
11 km (7 mi) south of Russellville, AL · earthquakes near Russellville
Magnitude
M 2.0 (md)
Depth
5.0 km below the surface
Felt
1 report · strongest reported intensity I
Nearest
Franklin County, 11 km WNW
Status
Reviewed by a seismologist

USGS · last changed by USGS · we first saw it 3302 days ago

This was a minor earthquake. Quakes this small are rarely felt and do not cause damage.

At this magnitude and depth, people at rest would likely notice it out to about 22 km (14 mi) from the epicentre. In Russellville, 11 km away, the estimate is intensity II (weak). Estimated from magnitude, depth and distance with the intensity equation USGS Did You Feel It? uses; felt reports, where there are any, are the measurement.

Earthquakes near other towns within 30 km: Phil Campbell, Bear Creek, Hackleburg, Haleyville.

How big was it?

This earthquake released about 26 lb of TNT. Magnitude is logarithmic: each whole step up releases about 32 times more energy, so a magnitude 3.0 would have released about 32 times as much.

  1. Mineral, Virginia 2011 M 5.8 580,000× the energy of this one
  2. Magna, Utah 2020 M 5.7 410,000× the energy of this one
  3. Around the size people start to feel M 3.0 36× the energy of this one
  4. This earthquake M 2.0 about 26 lb of TNT

Energy from the Gutenberg–Richter relation (log10E = 1.5M + 4.8), rounded to two figures; bar length is magnitude, which is already a logarithm of energy. Magnitudes of past earthquakes from the USGS catalogue.

For this area

No earthquake of M4 or more has been recorded within 50 km since our catalogue begins in 2016.

Before 2016, the USGS record since 1900 lists no earthquake of M5 or more within 50 km.

Since 2016: the QuakeIndex catalogue (US, M1.5+), built from the USGS FDSN event service. Before 2016: USGS ComCat, M5+ from 1900. Distances are between epicentres. This is the record, not a forecast.

Where

Epicentre 34.4120, -87.7300. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Nearby places

PlaceDistanceDirection from the epicentre
Franklin County, AL 11 km (7 mi) WNW earthquakes near Franklin County
Colbert County, AL 33 km (21 mi) NNW earthquakes near Colbert County
Marion County, AL 33 km (21 mi) SSW earthquakes near Marion County
Lawrence County, AL 40 km (25 mi) ENE earthquakes near Lawrence County
Winston County, AL 44 km (27 mi) SE earthquakes near Winston County
Lauderdale County, AL 55 km (34 mi) N earthquakes near Lauderdale County

Places and coordinates from the US Census Bureau Gazetteer (2024). Distances are from the epicentre.

Aftershocks so far

8 earthquakes have been recorded within 50 km since this one.

  1. 2.3 5 km NW of Addison, Alabama
  2. 2.3 13 km N of Double Springs, Alabama
  3. 2.5 13 km S of Moulton, Alabama
  4. 2.3 8 km S of Killen, Alabama
  5. 2.0 4 km NNE of Winfield, Alabama
  6. 2.8 0 km WSW of Muscle Shoals, Alabama
  7. 2.3 5 km E of Vina, Alabama
  8. 2.3 7 km SE of Haleyville, Alabama

Counted from the QuakeIndex database, which ingests the USGS feed every 30 seconds · as of . QuakeIndex does not forecast aftershocks. When USGS issues an operational aftershock forecast it appears on the USGS event page.

On USGS

QuakeIndex does not issue warnings. For earthquake early warning see ShakeAlert.