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Magnitude 4.2 earthquake hits northeast of Great Falls, shaking west-central Montana
The earthquake occurred in a seismically active region with most quakes small and rarely felt, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
- The U.S. Geological Survey reported a magnitude 4.2 earthquake on Thursday, January 29, 2026, centered about 7.5 miles northeast of Great Falls near Malmstrom Air Force Base, felt widely across central Montana.
- Montana lies in the intermountain seismic belt, a seismically active region where as many as five earthquakes hit annually, most too small to feel.
- At about 12:41 p.m., the quake struck at a depth of about 6.2 miles, with local residents from Shelby to Helena and communities like Sun Prairie and Polson reporting shaking lasting 10 to 15 seconds.
- With no reported serious damage, officials said there were no early reports of injuries and public safety departments continued monitoring, while the Great Falls Police Department urged people not to use 911 after 73 calls and 10 non-emergency calls within 30 minutes.
- Historic context shows Montana's seismic history includes the 7.3 Hebgen Lake earthquake on August 17, 1959, a strong July 6, 2017 quake, and reports of more than 160 new geysers in Yellowstone National Park.
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Magnitude 4.2 earthquake strikes Montana near Great Falls
A magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck Montana, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The epicenter was located near the city of Great Falls. The quake struck at 12:41 p.m. Mountain time at a depth of about 14 miles, according to the USGS. The epicenter was located about 7.4 miles northeast of Great Falls, near Black Horse Lake. More than 700 felt reports have been submitted by users to the USGS website, with most indicating weak t…
·Tilburg, Netherlands
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Helena Independent RecordReposted by 
Montana Standard
Montana StandardMagnitude 4.2 earthquake hits northeast of Great Falls, shaking west-central Montana
A magnitude 4.2 earthquake hit 11 miles northeast of Great Falls at 12:40 p.m. Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed.
·Helena, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources14
Leaning Left0Leaning Right0Center11Last UpdatedBias Distribution100% Center
Bias Distribution
- 100% of the sources are Center
100% Center
C 100%
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