The April 2, 1985 earthquake

M5.7near Rachel, Nevada

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake 0.0 miles deep, centred in Nye County. The 25th strongest in Nevada’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles since a magnitude 5.7 on February 28, 1975.

The earthquake

Magnitude
5.7
body-wave magnitude (mb)
Depth
0.0 mi
0.0 km below the surface
Local time
Tuesday, April 2, 1985
12:00 PST; 20:00 UTC
Epicentre
37.10°N, 116.03°W
In Nye County
In Nevada’s record
25th
strongest of 8,110 since 1900
Within 50 miles
3
counties; more on this date

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event usp0002dde (“66 km SSW of Rachel, Nevada”). The USGS event page carries the ShakeMap, felt reports and the official summary.

Counties and cities within 50 miles

Distance from the epicentre to each county boundary (zero when inside) and to each city centre.

Counties

Earthquakes around the epicentre

209 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of this epicentre since 1973.

Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of the epicentre, by year 1973: 6 1974: 3 1975: 6 1976: 28 28 1977: 6 1978: 3 1979: 1 1980: 4 1981: 3 1982: 5 1983: 2 1984: 1 1985: 4 1986: 5 1987: 4 1988: 6 1989: 6 1990: 2 1991: 3 1992: 20 1993: 9 1994: 8 1995: 5 1996: 7 1997: 3 1998: 5 1999: 14 2000: 8 2001: 0 2002: 2 2003: 0 2004: 1 2005: 0 2006: 2 2007: 4 2008: 3 2009: 1 2010: 1 2011: 2 2012: 1 2013: 3 2014: 1 2015: 2 2016: 2 2017: 1 2018: 0 2019: 2 2020: 0 2021: 2 2022: 1 2023: 0 2024: 1 2025: 0 19731978198319881993199820032008201320182023

Earlier earthquakes of magnitude 5 or more within 50 miles, strongest first

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog. Local time is the time zone of the county nearest the epicentre. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them.