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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
- M2.7 earthquake near Chignik Lake, United States — (91 km ESE)
- M4.2 earthquake near Nelson Lagoon, United States — (137 km S)
- M3.0 earthquake near Nelson Lagoon, United States — (138 km S)
- M2.1 earthquake near Ivanof Bay, United States — (141 km SE)
- M4.0 earthquake near Ivanof Bay, United States — (153 km SSE)
- M3.1 earthquake near Ivanof Bay, United States — (159 km SE)
- M1.7 earthquake near Ivanof Bay, United States — (167 km SSE)
- M2.5 earthquake near Ivanof Bay, United States — (181 km SSE)
- M2.2 earthquake near Ivanof Bay, United States — (186 km SSE)
Other recent earthquakes in the United States
- M1.0 earthquake near Coso Junction, United States —
- M0.7 earthquake near Cobb, United States —
- M1.9 earthquake near Chickaloon, United States —
- M1.1 earthquake near The Geysers, United States —
- M1.6 earthquake near Coso Junction, United States —
- M1.6 earthquake near Chase, United States —
- M1.2 earthquake near Gardendale, United States —
- M0.3 earthquake near Julian, United States —
- M1.6 earthquake near Olancha, United States —
- M2.8 earthquake near Toms Place, United States —
Other magnitude 3 earthquakes worldwide
- M3.7 earthquake near Kokhanok, Alaska —
- M3.6 earthquake near Attu Station, Alaska —
- M4.1 earthquake near Puerto Madero, Mexico —
- M4.1 earthquake near Beauséjour, Guadeloupe —
- M3.5 earthquake near Coso Junction, United States —
- M3.5 earthquake near Coso Junction, United States —
- M4.0 earthquake near Coso Junction, United States —
- M3.8 earthquake near Aleneva, United States —
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 Platinum?
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.
Was the M3.8 earthquake near Platinum 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 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.
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.