Did Arizona just have an earthquake?

Did Arizona Just Have an Earthquake? Let’s Get Real.

Okay, so you’re wondering if the ground just shook in Arizona. As of today, August 9, 2025, the answer is: not really, at least not anything major enough to make headlines. Now, Arizona isn’t exactly earthquake central like California, but don’t let that fool you. The state actually gets hundreds of little tremors every year i. Most are so tiny you wouldn’t even feel them, but every now and then, we get a little reminder that the earth’s still moving beneath our feet i, ii.

Recent Rumblings: What’s Been Shaking (or Not)

Looking at the data, Earthquaketrack.com tells us that in the last 24 hours, nada – no earthquakes of any real significance (magnitude 1.5 or higher) within Arizona itself i. But zooming out a bit…

• The Past Week: We’ve had 8 quakes in the general vicinity i.
• The Last Month: That number jumps to 31 i.
• The Whole Year? A whopping 473! i

Keep in mind, these numbers include quakes near Arizona, not necessarily in Arizona. The biggest one nearby this week? A 3.9 down in Brawley, California i. Not exactly next door, right? Earlier this month and year, Calipatria, California (magnitude 4.3) and Pahrump, Nevada (magnitude 4.4), respectively, experienced larger events i.

Arizona’s Shaky Past and Present

So, Arizona does get earthquakes. Most of the action happens up north ii. But it’s not just a northern thing. Places like Safford, Duncan, and even down around Tucson in the southeast, Yuma in the southwest, and the central mountain region around Prescott and Holbrook see their fair share of activity too ii. The Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS) even talks about this “Arizona Seismic Belt” that runs diagonally across the state ii. Apparently, we get a magnitude 5.0-ish quake about once a decade in that zone ii.

When Arizona Really Shook: Some History

Okay, so we don’t have earthquakes every week, but Arizona’s had some memorable shakers in its past ii:

• The Big One: 1887. This magnitude 7.6 monster hit down near the Arizona-Mexico border on the Pitaycachi fault iii. It killed almost 60 people and caused damage all over the Southwest iii. I can’t imagine what that must have felt like.
• Early 1900s Flagstaff: Apparently, Flagstaff got rattled by three pretty good-sized quakes (magnitude 6.0 to 6.2) between 1906 and 1912 iii. Talk about a shaky start to the century!
• More Recently: We’ve had a few smaller ones in recent years, like the 5.2 near Holbrook in 2005, the 5.3 near Duncan in 2014, and a 4.1 near Black Canyon City in 2015 iii.

Why All the Shaking? The Science-y Stuff

So, why does Arizona even have earthquakes? It all comes down to those massive tectonic plates – the Pacific and North American plates, to be exact ii. They’re grinding past each other at a snail’s pace (about 2 inches a year), and that builds up stress in the earth’s crust ii. Eventually, snap – earthquake!

Ready to Rumble? (Hopefully Not)

Look, Arizona’s not going to turn into California overnight, but it’s always smart to be prepared ii. The AZGS is constantly working to improve its earthquake monitoring, and they can now detect pretty much any quake of magnitude 3.0 or higher within the state ii. So, stay informed, know what to do if the ground starts shaking, and let’s hope we don’t have to use that knowledge anytime soon.