Ellis County, KS – Residents near Hays may have felt a brief jolt Monday morning after a small earthquake was recorded just north-northwest of the city.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 2.9 earthquake struck 11 kilometers (about 7 miles) north-northwest of Hays at 10:48 a.m. Central Time on Monday. The quake originated at a shallow depth of approximately 5 kilometers, which can sometimes make even lower-magnitude earthquakes more noticeable at the surface.
The event was reviewed and confirmed by the USGS National Earthquake Information Center. As of early Tuesday afternoon, no injuries or damage had been reported, and the USGS “Did You Feel It?” system showed little to no public responses from the surrounding area.
While earthquakes of this size are considered minor, Kansas has experienced an uptick in small seismic events over the past decade, particularly in central and southern portions of the state. Most quakes below magnitude 3.0 cause little to no damage and may feel like a quick vibration or rumble lasting only a second or two.
The USGS continues to monitor seismic activity across the region. Residents who felt the shaking are encouraged to submit a report through the USGS website to help scientists better understand how earthquakes are experienced at the local level.
There is no tsunami risk associated with this earthquake, and no aftershocks have been reported as of publication time.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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