Earthquakes by State 2024

There are a lot of natural disasters that happen from time to time, and one example that a lot of people tend to overlook is earthquakes. One of the reasons why people tend to forget about earthquakes is that there is not a lot of warning when an earthquake is coming and it tends to be over relatively quickly. Therefore, it is important to take a closer look at why earthquakes happen from time to time. The Earth is constantly shifting, and there are tectonic plates underneath the surface that can move against one another. When these tectonic plates begin to shift, an earthquake can happen. Then, the ground beneath our feet can move, and buildings can collapse.

What State Has the Most Earthquakes?

Earthquakes tend to happen in locations that have major fault lines that are active. Fault lines are locations where two tectonic plates come together, and that is why earthquakes can happen very quickly. The state that has the most earthquakes is California. In 2022, almost 40,000 earthquakes occurred in the state, with 14 being significant earthquakes.

This is nothing new for the state. There are major earthquakes that have taken place in California over the years, and some of them have resulted in a lot of fatalities. Furthermore, a tremendous amount of research regarding earthquakes takes place in California in an effort for us to predict them moving forward. Earthquakes continue to be major natural disasters in California, along with wildfires and the occasional hurricane.

What Other States Have Earthquakes?

Alaska, which is at the northernmost point of North America, can also feel earthquakes often. Like California, it is located on a major fault line. In 2022, they had almost as many as California with 38,855 earthquakes, of which 14 were significant. The next highest state (Hawaii) had only 9,019 earthquakes during the year, showing the massive difference between California and Alaska and the rest of the country.

Even though these two states have the vast majority of earthquakes in the country, there are other states that can feel the effects of earthquakes as well. For example, Nevada, Washington State, and Oregon get earthquakes from time to time. Even though they might not be as close to a major fault line as California or Alaska, the effects of them can still be felt in these locations.

Finally, there are also earthquakes that happened in Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, and Utah. There are small earthquakes that happen all over the country constantly, but these are the states that feel major earthquakes from time to time.

What State Is Overdue for an Earthquake?

There are some states that are overdue for an earthquake, but in particular, Missouri and Arkansas are anticipating an earthquake in the near future. That is because these states sit on a major fault line known as the New Madrid fault line. This is a fault line that has not been active in a long time, but it is one of the largest fault lines in the country. Therefore, if it decides to move, Missouri and Arkansas could feel a major earthquake. If this fault line were to go off, there are a lot of bridges that might collapse and significant rail line disruptions would be felt. It would have a major impact across the state of Missouri, and that is why this fault line is closely monitored.