Small Quake Near Area 51 Fuels Mystery Around Secretive Base
The recent earthquake near Area 51 has reignited speculation about the base, linked to UFO activity and secret military testing.
A 2.8-magnitude earthquake struck near Las Vegas on Monday, just miles from the highly secretive US Air Force base known as Area 51.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the tremor was centred 32 miles southeast of Beatty, a small town about 60 miles from the mysterious military installation.
Area 51 has long been the subject of speculation and conspiracy theories, with many linking it to UFO activity, alien encounters, and covert experimental aircraft testing. However, officials say it was a routine seismic event.
The tremor was recorded at 2:11 a.m. PST on Monday. While earthquakes above 2.5 in magnitude can sometimes be felt and cause minor damage, there have been no reports of injuries or destruction yet.
Nevada is one of the most seismically active states in the US, ranking third behind California and Alaska, according to the National Parks Service. The state’s geological activity is largely due to numerous fault lines running along its mountain ranges.
Increased military testing and UFO sightings around Area 51
The recent earthquake near Area 51 is relatively minor compared to other seismic events in Nevada. On December 9, 2024, a 5.7 magnitude quake shook northern Nevada. The strongest earthquake in recent years occurred on May 15, 2020, when a 6.5 magnitude quake struck the Monte Cristo Range.
Shakeout reported the state experiences thousands of microearthquakes annually. “Earthquakes in Western Nevada are caused by the extension that is pulling Nevada apart and wrenching created as the Sierra Nevada is pulled to the north because it is caught up in the Pacific-North America plate motion,” the article explains.
Area 51 remains one of the most restricted sites in the U.S., with no public access and strict military control. A Google Maps search of the region will reveal little, as the base’s presence is largely omitted from public records.
Recently, there has been increased attention on military testing and unidentified aerial phenomena. Numerous reports of mysterious drone swarms over US military sites have surfaced, including a sighting of a “big fireball in a cube” over Area 51 in November 2024.
“When I was president, and I had a Chief of Staff John Podesta - he loved science fiction - he made every attempt to find out everything about Roswell. And we also sent people to Area 51, we wanted to make sure there were no aliens,” Former President Bill Clinton told James Corden once.
