3.1

M3.1 Earthquake 20 km NE of Nikolaevsk, AlaskaSeptember 21, 2026

2026-09-21 09:38:37 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 11:38 PM UTC-10 local

MagnitudeM3.1(ml)
Time09:38 UTC11:38 PM UTC-10
Depth45.9 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates59.934°, -151.328°
Felt byNo felt reports
StatusAutomatic (preliminary)

On September 21, 2026 at 09:38 UTC, a magnitude 3.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 20 km NE of Nikolaevsk, Alaska, at a depth of 45.9 km and coordinates 59.9340°, -151.3280°.0

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 83 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 59.93°, -151.33°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from submitted citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M3.1 earthquake near 20 km NE of Nikolaevsk, Alaska

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.1 ml
Depth
45.9 km
shallow crustal
Location
59.9340°N
-151.3280°E
Community Intensity
1.0
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
aka2026ssnawb
Event Type
earthquake
Status
Automatic
Significance
148
Stations Used
120
Azimuthal Gap
44.0°
Min Station Distance
0.300°
RMS Residual
0.80 sec
Last Updated
2026-09-21 10:13:12 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.1 earthquake near Nikolaevsk, Alaska?

The magnitude 3.1 earthquake that struck 20 km NE of Nikolaevsk, Alaska on September 21, 2026 at 09:38 UTC had a depth of 45.9 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.1 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.1 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: aka2026ssnawb). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, September 21, 2026). M3.1 Earthquake 20 km NE of Nikolaevsk, AlaskaSeptember 21, 2026. Retrieved September 21, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/aka2026ssnawb/