QuakeIndex

Earthquake · reviewed by a seismologist

M 1.9md

Earthquake near Randleman, NC

No earthquake was likely felt in Randleman in the 24 hours to 10:28 am EST (15:28 UTC). The last one was M 2.0, 8 km (5 mi) WNW, at 7:50 am EDT on 20 April 2026, estimated intensity II (weak) in town; 7 felt reports to USGS. Every earthquake near Randleman

This page: a magnitude 1.9 earthquake was recorded 8 km (5 mi) northwest of Randleman, NC, at 3:43 pm EDT on 16 April 2026 (19:43 UTC), 1.0 km deep. 2 people have reported feeling it to USGS.

USGS: 7 km NW of Randleman, North Carolina

27 km (17 mi) S of Greensboro, NC · 18 km (11 mi) SE of High Point, NC

3:43 pm EDT, Apr 16, 2026 · · 1.0 km deep · released about 24 lb of TNT

10 km30 km60 km120 km N Randolph County 18 kmGuilford County 26 kmDavidson County 31 kmForsyth County 46 kmAlamance County 47 kmChatham County 59 kmRockingham County 59 kmMontgomery County 59 kmDavie County 61 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
3:43 pm EDT on 16 April 2026 ()
Where
8 km (5 mi) northwest of Randleman, NC · earthquakes near Randleman
North Carolina today
every earthquake in North Carolina in the last 24 hours
Magnitude
M 1.9 (md)
Depth
1.0 km below the surface
Felt
2 reports · strongest reported intensity III
Nearest
Randolph County, 18 km SSE
Status
Reviewed by a seismologist

USGS · last changed by USGS · we first saw it 132 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 Randleman, 8 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: Archdale, Trinity, Pleasant Garden, High Point, Jamestown, Asheboro.

How big was it?

This earthquake released about 24 lb of TNT. Magnitude is logarithmic: each whole step up releases about 32 times more energy, so a magnitude 2.9 would have released about 32 times as much.

  1. Mineral, Virginia 2011 M 5.8 640,000× the energy of this one
  2. Magna, Utah 2020 M 5.7 450,000× the energy of this one
  3. Around the size people start to feel M 3.0 40× the energy of this one
  4. This earthquake M 1.9 about 24 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 35.8582, -79.8733. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Nearby places

PlaceDistanceDirection from the epicentre
Randolph County, NC 18 km (11 mi) SSE earthquakes near Randolph County
Guilford County, NC 26 km (16 mi) NNE earthquakes near Guilford County
Davidson County, NC 31 km (19 mi) WSW earthquakes near Davidson County
Forsyth County, NC 46 km (29 mi) NW earthquakes near Forsyth County
Alamance County, NC 47 km (29 mi) ENE earthquakes near Alamance County
Chatham County, NC 59 km (36 mi) ESE earthquakes near Chatham County

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

Aftershocks so far

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

  1. 2.0 7 km WNW of Randleman, North Carolina
  2. 1.7 8 km NW of Randleman, North Carolina
  3. 1.6 7 km NW of Randleman, North Carolina
  4. 2.4 7 km NW of Randleman, North Carolina
  5. 1.9 7 km NW of Randleman, North Carolina

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.