A magnitude 4.0 earthquake struck the Missouri Bootheel near Cooter, Missouri at around 12:59 p.m. CDT on April 23, 2026, with its focus about 7 miles underground.
The event occurred close to the Arkansas and Tennessee state lines and is part of the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ), one of the most active seismic zones in the U.S.
Impact and Reports
Shaking was felt in six states: Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Mississippi. Over 700 people reported feeling the quake to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). In Northeast Arkansas, tremors were felt as far as Memphis and and south of Jonesboro. No damage has been reported in the affected areas.
Seismic Context
This is one of only 10 magnitude 4.0+ quakes in the region since 2000. The NMSZ has produced hundreds of small earthquakes annually, and while most are too small to feel, larger events like the 1811–1812 New Madrid quakes caused massive ground deformation. USGS estimates a 20% chance of a magnitude ~3 aftershock in the next week, with a 4% chance above magnitude 4.
