The map shows quakes of M1.5 and up from the last 90 days, the 6 biggest on record, and always the very latest quake — even if it was smaller than M1.5. The list below can include smaller ones the map leaves out. Tap any dot for details.
In the last 30 days, 0 earthquakes of M1.5 or bigger were recorded within 100 km of Bristol. The biggest quake on record near Bristol — records go back to 1980 — was the M5.1 of Aug 09, 2020, 12:07 UTC: 4 km SE of Sparta, North Carolina.
Latest earthquakes near Bristol
| Mag | Location | Local time | Depth | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M2.1 | 5 km NE of Clinchport, Virginia | Jul 06, 2026, 02:18 AM | 5 km | 48 km WNW |
| M1.7 | 6 km WSW of Newland, North Carolina | Jan 03, 2026, 01:06 AM | 2 km | 61 km SSE |
| M2.2 | 16 km E of Jefferson, North Carolina | Nov 08, 2025, 01:25 PM | 5 km | 83 km ESE |
| M5.1 | 4 km SE of Sparta, North Carolina | Aug 09, 2020, 08:07 AM | 4 km | 99 km E |
| M4.2 | 6 km W of Blackey, Kentucky | Nov 10, 2012, 12:08 PM | 17 km | 98 km NW |
| M4.3 | 13 km NW of Raven, Virginia | Nov 23, 2006, 05:42 AM | 0 km | 65 km NNE |
| M4.3 | 13 km NNW of Raven, Virginia | Nov 02, 2006, 12:53 PM | 1 km | 71 km NNE |
| M4.3 | 11 km SSE of Vansant, Virginia | Apr 10, 1989, 02:12 PM | 0 km | 61 km N |
| M4.1 | 9 km E of Vansant, Virginia | Apr 14, 1988, 07:37 PM | 0 km | 74 km NNE |
Earthquakes per year near Bristol (M3.0 and up, within 100 km)
M3.0–3.9 M4.0+
Each bar is one year; taller means more quakes (M3.0 and up). The dark red part is the bigger ones (M4.0+), counted inside the number above each bar — not added on top. These may be felt, depending on how far away and how deep they are. 2026 is not a full year yet — it only counts up to today. Source: USGS Earthquake Catalog.
What the last year looked like near Bristol
Every quake of M1.5 or bigger within 100 km over the last year — 3 in total. A quake of exactly M2.0 counts in the M2.0–3.0 group.
The 6 biggest earthquakes on record near Bristol (M4.0 and up, since 1980)
| Mag | Location | Date (UTC) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| M5.1 | 4 km SE of Sparta, North Carolina | Aug 09, 2020, 12:07 UTC | 99 km |
| M4.3 | 13 km NW of Raven, Virginia | Nov 23, 2006, 10:42 UTC | 65 km |
| M4.3 | 13 km NNW of Raven, Virginia | Nov 02, 2006, 17:53 UTC | 71 km |
| M4.3 | 11 km SSE of Vansant, Virginia | Apr 10, 1989, 18:12 UTC | 61 km |
| M4.2 | 6 km W of Blackey, Kentucky | Nov 10, 2012, 17:08 UTC | 98 km |
| M4.1 | 9 km E of Vansant, Virginia | Apr 14, 1988, 23:37 UTC | 74 km |
Nearby places
Abingdon, VA (23 km) · Hunter, TN (25 km) · Mountain City, TN (37 km) · Saltville, VA (49 km) · Glade Spring, VA (43 km) · Roan Mountain, TN (46 km)
USGS data fetched Nov 03, 2026, 18:45 UTC · page built Nov 03, 2026, 18:45 UTC. How to read this page: recent-window counts cover M1.5+ events within 100 km; the 10-year layer is based on M3.0+ and the history layer on M4.0+ since 1980. Recording completeness varies by era and region — small quakes from early decades are under-recorded, so “no record” does not prove “never happened”. Depths are relative to sea level and can be slightly negative for shallow events in elevated terrain. Method: data & methodology.