Great Falls 2026 4.2 Earthquake

The Great Falls 2026 4.2 Magnitude Earthquake occurred on January 29, 2026. The earthquake was felt as far south as Helena and as far north as Shelby. The earthquake caused no serious damage.

Aftershocks

3 aftershocks occurred after the main earthquake. None that occurred were larger than the main earthquake, and caused no serious damage, injuries, or fatalities.

Concerns

Due to the proximity of the earthquake to Malmstrom Air Force Base, many were concerned about possible damage to nearby ballistic missiles. However, none were damaged during the main earthquake and its aftershocks.

Geology

The earthquake likely occurred due to movement on the Intermountain Seismic Belt, a collection of fault lines in Montana and surrounding states, although earthquakes produced east of the belt are somewhat uncommon.