Louisiana is known across the country for its low seismic activity, often surprising residents when the topic of earthquakes comes up. The state sits in a region widely considered to have low to no seismicity, which makes the question of “when was the last one” a point of curiosity for many. While many parts of the United States experience these events regularly, Louisiana’s geological setting makes any noticeable shaking a relatively rare occurrence. This rarity means that local residents are often unprepared for the sensation of the ground moving beneath them.
The Most Recent Recorded Seismic Event
The last officially recorded seismic event to occur within the state’s borders was a magnitude 3.1 earthquake on January 8, 2026. The epicenter was located approximately 6 miles northwest of Coushatta, a small town in Red River Parish. This quake occurred at a very shallow depth, measuring about 9.5 kilometers below the surface. A shallow depth often contributes to the shaking being felt more intensely over a smaller area near the epicenter.
The light shaking was widely reported by residents in and around Coushatta, though no significant damage was reported. Seismologists classify this event as a true tectonic earthquake. The instrument-recorded magnitude of 3.1 places it firmly in the category of a minor earthquake, which is typical for the infrequent activity recorded in Louisiana, reminding us that minor natural activity is still possible.
Historical Seismic Activity in Louisiana
Looking beyond the most recent tremor, the historical record shows that felt earthquakes in Louisiana are infrequent, with events exceeding magnitude 4.0 occurring only about once every seven years. The majority of activity is made up of very small, unfelt tremors, with the state averaging fewer than five quakes of magnitude 2.0 or higher annually.
The largest earthquake ever recorded to have occurred in the state was a magnitude 5.3 event in 2006, though its epicenter was located far offshore, about 157 kilometers south of Grand Isle. The most significant historical onshore quake took place in 1930 near Napoleonville, in Assumption Parish, registering an approximate magnitude of 4.2. That event was strong enough to cause minor structural effects, including cracked plaster and broken windows in the immediate area.
Geological Reasons for Low Seismicity
Louisiana’s low seismic activity is largely due to its location far from the boundaries of the North American tectonic plate. The state rests within the Gulf Coast Basin, a region characterized by thick layers of accumulated sediment that dampen and diffuse tectonic stresses. Unlike the active fault systems found near plate boundaries, the fault lines present in Louisiana are primarily shallow “growth faults.”
Movement along these growth faults is generally characterized by slow, continuous displacement, known as aseismic creep, rather than the sudden, stick-slip motion that causes larger earthquakes.
Any shaking felt in the state is usually a consequence of minor adjustments along these local faults or, occasionally, a distant tremor originating from the powerful New Madrid Seismic Zone to the north. This distant zone sometimes sends minor reverberations that can be felt across the northern parts of Louisiana, but they are not the result of local fault rupture.