M2.5 Earthquake near Selawik, Alaska — 20 March 2026
A minor earthquake of magnitude 2.5 was recorded near Selawik, Alaska on , with an epicentre 52 km south of Selawik, at a focal depth of 599.0 km.
Time (UTC): 2026-03-20 16:34:45
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 2.5 (minor)
Focal depth: 599.0 km (deep)
Epicentre: 66.1360, -160.0160
Location: 52 km S of Selawik, Alaska
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Automatic
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Minor earthquakes in this range are felt by people close to the epicentre as a brief jolt or rattle, but they very rarely cause any damage.
A magnitude 2.5 earthquake radiates roughly 85 kg of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 96, which is below the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at 66.1360, -160.0160 — 52 km south of Selawik. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 3.6 earthquake 120 km south-southwest of here on 25 August 2025.
Why the 599 km depth matters
At 599 km this was a deep-focus earthquake, occurring well inside the subducting slab rather than in the crust. Deep events are rarely damaging even at large magnitudes, though they can be felt over very long distances.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size may be noticed locally, especially close to the epicentre. Its deep focus normally weakens surface shaking while spreading perceptible motion over a broad area.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M2.5 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; its 599 km focal depth is too great to deform the sea floor significantly; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 3.6 event near Koyuk on 25 August 2025. This M2.5 event released about 45 times less energy than that event.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the March 2026 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M3.6 earthquake near Koyuk, Alaska — (120 km SSW)
- M2.1 earthquake near Noorvik, Alaska — (123 km NNW)
- M2.8 earthquake near Noatak, Alaska — (162 km NNW)
- M2.5 earthquake near Noatak, Alaska — (165 km NNW)
Other magnitude 2 earthquakes worldwide
- M2.3 earthquake near Volcano, Hawaii —
- M2.7 earthquake near Naalehu, Hawaii —
- M2.4 earthquake near Ashford, Washington —
- M2.7 earthquake near Maricao, Puerto Rico —
- M2.5 earthquake near Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands —
- M2.8 earthquake near Wilkerson, CA —
- M2.3 earthquake near Progreso, B.C., MX —
- M2.5 earthquake near Ninilchik, Alaska —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 2.5 earthquake?
Minor earthquakes in this range are felt by people close to the epicentre as a brief jolt or rattle, but they very rarely cause any damage. A magnitude 2.5 earthquake radiates roughly 85 kg of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Selawik?
At 599 km this was a deep-focus earthquake, occurring well inside the subducting slab rather than in the crust. Deep events are rarely damaging even at large magnitudes, though they can be felt over very long distances.
Was the M2.5 earthquake near Selawik felt?
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size may be noticed locally, especially close to the epicentre. Its deep focus normally weakens surface shaking while spreading perceptible motion over a broad area.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M2.5 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; its 599 km focal depth is too great to deform the sea floor significantly; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
Have there been aftershocks?
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.
How often do earthquakes happen near Selawik?
0 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 3.6 event near Koyuk on 25 August 2025. This M2.5 event released about 45 times less energy than that event.