On February 16 and 17, 2026, a flurry of minor earthquakes rippled across the United States, shaking communities from Maine to California and sparking fresh conversations about seismic activity in regions not often associated with major tremors. While none of these quakes caused significant damage or injuries, their occurrence—clustered over just two days—served as a timely reminder of the unpredictable nature of the earth beneath our feet.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the most powerful of these recent events was a preliminary magnitude 3.6 earthquake near Banning, in Riverside County, California. Striking shortly before 11 a.m. on February 17 at a depth of nearly nine miles, the quake rattled local nerves but left no immediate reports of damage or injuries, as reported by KABC. The USGS continues to monitor the area, but for now, life in Banning has, thankfully, returned to normal.
Meanwhile, in the heartland, two minor earthquakes were felt along the New Madrid Fault—an area with a storied history of seismic unrest. On February 17, a 2.3-magnitude quake in Tennessee was felt by at least one resident, who promptly reported the experience to the USGS. A second, even smaller quake—a mere 1.8 magnitude—occurred near the southern Missouri border. This one, according to local reporting, was so faint that "not even the squirrel in the tree located directly above the epicenter" noticed it. Despite their modest size, these tremors arrived during Earthquake Awareness Month, prompting reminders for residents near the New Madrid Fault to review their emergency plans and supplies. As the Townsquare Media article put it, "There is no reason to worry about the New Madrid Fault because of unusual and/or tiny quakes. If you hear someone that's predicting a major quake, they're either misinformed or they're lying. No one can predict earthquakes."
But the earth wasn’t done moving. On the evening of February 16, a 2.3-magnitude earthquake shook the ground just northwest of Bridgewater, Maine, at a depth of more than three miles. The USGS and the National Weather Service both confirmed the event, which was felt as far north as Caribou and as far south as Houlton, according to WAGM-TV. A viewer from Blaine even called the station to see if others had felt the tremor. In the bigger picture, Maine has recorded over 170 earthquakes since 1997, with the strongest in recent memory—a 4.5-magnitude event—striking East Waterboro back in 2012. Earthquakes in Maine tend to cluster in specific regions, and such clusters have been observed repeatedly in recent years, the Maine Geological Survey notes.
Not far away, another minor quake was reported in upstate New York. At approximately 7:50 p.m. on February 16, a 2.0-magnitude earthquake occurred near the hamlet of Keeseville. The USGS received more than 100 shaking reports from both New York and Vermont, especially from southern Clinton County, northern Essex County, and parts of Chittenden and Grand Isle counties in Vermont. While earthquakes in this region—part of the Western Québec Seismic Zone—are not rare, with one or two typically felt each year, the level of community response stood out. The previous notable quake in the area was a 2.7-magnitude event in Chazy, New York, in October 2025.
Farther south, the Midlands of South Carolina experienced their own series of subtle shakes. Late on February 16, a 1.9-magnitude earthquake struck about three miles west-southwest of Irmo, according to both the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) and the USGS. This event brought the total number of earthquakes recorded in South Carolina for 2026 to ten—a figure that might surprise those who don’t associate the Palmetto State with seismic activity.
But it wasn’t just a one-off. Between February 14 and 16, Irmo saw two earthquakes: first a 2.8-magnitude quake, followed by the 2.0-magnitude tremor. Residents described the shaking as sudden and startling. Kristine Harp, a local, recounted, "A couple neighbors, when I went out on the back porch, were looking around — what was that? And I immediately was like, must’ve been an earthquake. But it sounded really loud and that boom was something different. It wasn’t just a tremor. It was almost like lightning had struck the house or something, so it was really bizarre." Another resident, Jim Laboe, added, "She had the dishwasher on and I turned and looked away and all of a sudden there is a loud noise and I thought for sure it was the dishwasher just erupting or something. And later to find out it was an earthquake — I couldn’t believe it." Karen Price described, "We heard a large sound that sounded like an explosion and the house shook."
Despite these dramatic descriptions, experts urge calm. As Daniel Frost, assistant professor at the University of South Carolina, explained to WACH, "It just happens kind of everywhere. There are some places where there are more earthquakes than others, but where we are in South Carolina there are just earthquakes from time to time. Not the kind that anyone needs to worry too much about — not the kind where anyone needs to be buying earthquake insurance." Frost also addressed local speculation about possible links between the quakes and Lake Murray’s dam, stating, "I have been thinking about this and I don’t really think there is any association between the earthquakes and Lake Murray. The reason I say that is because I have been looking at the river or dam lake levels at Lake Murray and there hasn’t been any significant change." He added that aftershocks are possible but would likely be small.
Across all these regions, the message from scientists and emergency officials is consistent: minor earthquakes are a part of life, even in places where the ground seems stable. The USGS encourages residents to report whether they felt a quake, as these data help refine understanding of how seismic waves travel and where future events might be felt. And while the odds of a major, damaging earthquake remain low in most of these areas, the recent spate of tremors serves as a gentle nudge to review emergency plans, stock up on essentials, and stay informed—just in case.
In a country as geographically diverse as the United States, even a handful of small quakes in quick succession can remind us how dynamic and interconnected our landscapes truly are. For now, the earth has settled again, but the lessons of preparedness and awareness continue to resonate.