Magnitude 5.2 earthquake hits Nevada, felt across Northern California

A preliminary magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck western Nevada early Friday, shaking the Reno and Lake Tahoe areas and sending tremors into parts of Northern California, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake hit at 1:17 a.m. about 12 miles southeast of Silver Springs, Nev., at a depth of about 3 miles, the USGS reported.

There were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries.

More than 1,600 people reported feeling the earthquake through the USGS website, with responses extending into the Tahoe basin and Northern California.

Estimates showed the strongest effects near Silver Springs, a rural community east of Carson City, while more populated areas generally experienced light-to-moderate shaking.

The quake was the latest in an active sequence centered near Silver Springs, where hundreds of smaller earthquakes have been recorded in recent weeks.

A magnitude 5.7 quake struck the same general area on April 13 and was also felt across parts of Northern California. Another quake, measured at magnitude 4.8, followed on April 22.

Friday's earthquake was preceded by a magnitude 4.3 quake in nearly the same area about 90 seconds earlier, according to USGS data.

Several smaller quakes followed through the early morning hours.

Western Nevada and the eastern Sierra are part of a seismically active region where earthquakes are common, though most are too small to be widely felt.

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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 10:37 AM.