Disaster & Emergency Services

Montana Earthquake Map

Montana...pristine mountains, alluring valleys...a stunning state that is geologically breathtaking!  But, the forces that create this beauty are the same forces that can rock your world.  Earthquakes are caused by movement within the earth's crust.  They are mystifying, common and as unpredictable as they are powerful - not even seismologists fully understand the forces that set them in motion.  Although we can't prevent or predict them, we can prepare for them.  Are You Prepared?

You can be in 3 Steps:

Get a Kit - Make a Plan - Be Informed

Some Montana Earthquake Facts:

• Montana is the fourth most seismically active state in the U.S., trailing areas we typically associated  with earthquakes:  Alaska, California and Hawaii.
• Records show Montana has experienced significant earthquakes (magnitude 6.0 or larger) in 1897, 1909, 1925, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1964, and 1975.  These quakes have damaged & destroyed buildings, disrupted our infrastructure, caused numerous injuries, and claimed 32 lives.
• The western half of Montana, home to 3/4 of the state's population, is considered the highest risk for earthquakes.