M3.8 Earthquake near Meadow Lakes, Alaska — 14 February 2026
A minor earthquake of magnitude 3.8 was recorded near Meadow Lakes, Alaska on , with an epicentre 7 km north-northwest of Meadow Lakes, at a focal depth of 35.1 km.
Time (UTC): 2026-02-14 08:58:48
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 3.8 (minor)
Focal depth: 35.1 km (shallow)
Epicentre: 61.6890, -149.6340
Location: 7 km NNW of Meadow Lakes, Alaska
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Available
Review status: Reviewed
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 3.8 earthquake radiates roughly 7.6 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 304, 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 61.6890, -149.6340 — 7 km north-northwest of Meadow Lakes. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 2.3 earthquake 3 km northeast of here on 30 July 2026.
Why the 35 km depth matters
At 35 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
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 shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS event record links to NOAA tsunami information because this was a large event in an oceanic region. That link flag does not mean a tsunami occurred or that a warning is active. Check tsunami.gov and instructions from your local authority for the current status of your coastline.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
87 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 4.0.
27 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 6.0 event near Susitna on 27 November 2025. This M3.8 event released about 1,995 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 February 2026 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M2.3 earthquake near Meadow Lakes, Alaska — (3 km NE)
- M2.6 earthquake near Meadow Lakes, Alaska — (7 km NNE)
- M2.1 earthquake near Meadow Lakes, Alaska — (11 km N)
- M1.9 earthquake near Houston, Alaska — (12 km WSW)
- M1.0 earthquake near Willow, Alaska — (13 km NNW)
- M2.2 earthquake near Houston, Alaska — (14 km SW)
- M1.8 earthquake near Fishhook, Alaska — (25 km NE)
- M1.1 earthquake near Big Lake, Alaska — (29 km SW)
- M2.0 earthquake near Susitna North, Alaska — (36 km NNW)
- M1.7 earthquake near Willow, Alaska — (36 km WNW)
Other magnitude 3 earthquakes worldwide
- M4.1 earthquake near Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands —
- M4.0 earthquake near Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands —
- M3.8 earthquake near Cloverdale, CA —
- M3.8 earthquake near Geyserville, California —
- M4.1 earthquake near Masohi, Indonesia —
- M4.1 earthquake near Yamada, Japan —
- M3.6 earthquake near Atka, Alaska —
- M3.8 earthquake near Atka, Alaska —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 3.8 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 3.8 earthquake radiates roughly 7.6 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Meadow Lakes?
At 35 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
Was the M3.8 earthquake near Meadow Lakes 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 shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS event record links to NOAA tsunami information because this was a large event in an oceanic region. That link flag does not mean a tsunami occurred or that a warning is active. Check tsunami.gov and instructions from your local authority for the current status of your coastline.
Have there been aftershocks?
87 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 4.0.
How often do earthquakes happen near Meadow Lakes?
27 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 6.0 event near Susitna on 27 November 2025. This M3.8 event released about 1,995 times less energy than that event.