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M3.8 Earthquake near Platinum, United States — 25 February 2026, 03:35 UTC

A minor earthquake of magnitude 3.8 was recorded near Platinum, United States on , with an epicentre 167 km south of Platinum, at a focal depth of 395.3 km. It ranked as the 75th strongest of 7142 earthquakes recorded in the United States in the preceding 30 days.

3.8 Minor

Time (UTC): 2026-02-25 03:35:58

Time (your timezone): —

Magnitude: 3.8 (minor)

Focal depth: 395.3 km (deep)

Epicentre: 57.5230, -161.4780

Location: 167 km S of Platinum, Alaska

Country: United States

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 3.8 earthquake radiates roughly 7.6 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 222, 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.

What the magnitude scale actually measures →

When it happened locally

That is about 16:50 local solar time at the epicentre, during the afternoon.

This event was deeper than 100% of the 161,343 earthquakes recorded in the United States in our catalogue and stronger than 99% of them.

Where was the epicentre?

The epicentre was located at 57.5230, -161.4780 — 167 km south of Platinum. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 2.7 earthquake 91 km east-southeast of here on 02 April 2025.

The nearest other settlements in our records are Chignik Lake (162 km southeast), Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge (203 km south-southeast), Cold Bay (212 km south-southwest) and Ivanof Bay (232 km south-southeast).

Why the 395 km depth matters

At 395 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.

Read more on how focal depth changes what you feel →

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 M3.8 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; its 395 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.

5 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 4.6 event near Ivanof Bay on 19 February 2025. This M3.8 event released about 16 times less energy than that event.

No other earthquakes have been recorded within 100 km of this epicentre in the past year, which makes this a genuinely isolated 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, and of earthquakes in the United States during February 2026. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.

Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre

Other recent earthquakes in the United States

All recorded earthquakes in the United States →

Other magnitude 3 earthquakes worldwide

All magnitude 3 earthquakes →

Questions about this earthquake

How strong was the earthquake near Platinum?

It measured magnitude 3.8 — a minor earthquake. A magnitude 3.8 earthquake radiates roughly 7.6 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

How deep was the earthquake near Platinum?

The focus was 395 km below the surface, which counts as deep.

Was the Platinum earthquake felt at the surface?

At magnitude 3.8 and a focal depth of 395 km, the depth spreads the energy out, so shaking is weaker overhead but reaches further.

When did the earthquake near Platinum happen?

25 February 2026 at 03:35 UTC.

Was there a tsunami?

No. The USGS record carries no tsunami-information link for this event.

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 Platinum?

5 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 4.6 event near Ivanof Bay on 19 February 2025. This M3.8 event released about 16 times less energy than that event.