Kentucky earthquakes

M2.8 earthquake 5 km E of Kenvir, Kentucky

A magnitude 2.8 earthquake struck 5 km E of Kenvir, Kentucky on Fri, Nov 27, 1987, 1:58 PM EST (18:58 UTC), 13 km (8 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M3.5 4 km E of Kenvir, Kentucky. This one was a foreshock.

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Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.

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The earthquake

Magnitude
2.8 (md), micro
Local time
UTC
1987-11-27 18:58:20 UTC
Depth
13.3 km (8.3 mi), shallow
Epicenter
36.850° N, 83.092° W
Region
Kentucky
Tsunami flag
No
Status
Reviewed by a seismologist

Did you feel it?

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Depth from
From location
Station coverage gap
71°
Stations used
26

Nearest places

Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 2 in the 60 days after this one and 1 in the 30 days before it.

After

Before

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event se60694 (also filed as usp0003amn). Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 9:39 PM UTC.