Dozen earthquakes rock US town sitting on top of a ‘sleeping giant’ fault

By STACY LIBERATORE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: 20:31 BST, 2 June 2025 | Updated: 20:32 BST, 2 June 2025

A small town in Idaho has experienced 12 earthquakes in the last 24 hours.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) detected the seismic activity near Stanley, a town that played a key role in the gold rush during the late 1860s and 1870s.

The first earthquake struck at 4:33pm ET on Sunday, with the most recent recorded at 2:17om today, ranging in magnitude from 2.5 to 3.4.

According to Michigan Tech University, quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 are typically felt by people and may cause minor damage. No damage has been reported from this swarm.

Stanley sits near the Sawtooth Fault, a 40-mile-long fault line running through central Idaho.

While geologically ancient, the Sawtooth Fault was only clearly identified in 2010. 

It drew national attention after a magnitude 6.5 earthquake in 2020, one of the largest in Idaho in recent history, which was felt across several states.

Scientists estimate the fault could produce magnitude 7.0 or greater earthquakes, strong enough to cause serious shaking and damage hundreds of miles away.

Experts have called the Sawtooth Fault a ‘sleeping giant’ as it is dormant for long periods but capable of triggering a devastating earthquake when it awakens.

This is a developing story… More updates to come 

The US Geological Survey (USGS) detected the seismic activity near Stanley, a town that played a key role in the gold rush during the late 1860s and 1870s. The first earthquake struck at 4:33pm ET on Sunday, with the most recent recorded at 2:17om today, ranging in magnitude from 2.5 to 3.4

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Dozen earthquakes rock US town sitting on top of a ‘sleeping giant’ fault

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