3.5

M3.5 Earthquake 10 km NE of Pāhala, HawaiiAugust 18, 2026

2026-08-18 14:18:38 UTC (42 min ago) · approx. 4:18 AM UTC-10 local

MagnitudeM3.5(md)
Time14:18 UTC4:18 AM UTC-10
Depth28.7 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates19.269°, -155.408°
Felt byNo felt reports
StatusAutomatic (preliminary)

On August 18, 2026 at 14:18 UTC, a magnitude 3.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 10 km NE of Pāhala, Hawaii, at a depth of 28.7 km and coordinates 19.2688°, -155.4083°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 3.0 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 164 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred 6 days ago 42 km ESE of Naalehu, Hawaii. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 22 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 19.27°, -155.41°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.5 md
Depth
28.7 km
shallow crustal
Location
19.2688°N
-155.4083°E

Technical Information

Event ID
hv75020262
Event Type
earthquake
Status
Automatic
Significance
192
Stations Used
51
Azimuthal Gap
75.0°
Min Station Distance
0.033°
RMS Residual
0.16 sec
Last Updated
2026-08-18 14:22:23 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.5 earthquake near Pāhala, Hawaii?

The magnitude 3.5 earthquake that struck 10 km NE of Pāhala, Hawaii on August 18, 2026 at 14:18 UTC had a depth of 28.7 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 3.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Is this the same earthquake as the M5.2 one earlier?

No. This magnitude 3.5 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred earlier 42 km ESE of Naalehu, Hawaii. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.5 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: hv75020262). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 18, 2026). M3.5 Earthquake 10 km NE of Pāhala, HawaiiAugust 18, 2026. Retrieved August 18, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/hv75020262/