M3.0 Earthquake 69 km NE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands — September 17, 2026
2026-09-17 00:43:36 UTC (55 min ago) · approx. 8:43 PM UTC-4 local
On September 17, 2026 at 00:43 UTC, a magnitude 3.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 69 km NE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands, at a depth of 24.3 km and coordinates 18.8318°, -64.4005°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 567 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 77 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-64.4005°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.0 earthquake near Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands?
The magnitude 3.0 earthquake that struck 69 km NE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands on September 17, 2026 at 00:43 UTC had a depth of 24.3 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 3.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.0 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: pr71531968). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, September 17, 2026). M3.0 Earthquake 69 km NE of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands — September 17, 2026. Retrieved September 17, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/pr71531968/