USGS · August 20, 2026
Magnitude 3.0 earthquake — 23 km ESE of Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
A magnitude 3.0 earthquake was recorded near 23 km ESE of Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska on Aug 20, 2026, 03:23 AM (local time at the epicentre — AKDT, UTC-8), at a depth of about 28.5 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 34 people · community intensity III (weak)Shallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-02 08:16 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.0 · local (Richter) magnitude
- Location
- 23 km ESE of Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 20, 2026, 03:23 AM — AKDT, UTC-8
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-08-20 11:23 UTC
- Depth
- 28.5 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 61.185, -149.217
- Felt reports
- Felt by 34 people · community intensity III (weak)
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 149 / 1000 · routine event
- Solution quality
- 80 seismic stations used · 44° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- USGS
Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes
The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.
What the shaking was like
Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
People who reported it described intensity III (Weak): Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.
Who lives nearby
About 33,664 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 403,479 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Elmendorf Air Force Base | 23.6 km WNW | 6,621 |
| Eagle River | 24.1 km NW | 24,793 |
| Girdwood | 27.1 km S | 2,250 |
| Anchorage | 36.8 km W | 289,600 |
| Butte | 40.9 km NNE | 3,246 |
| Knik-Fairview | 41.8 km NNW | 14,923 |
| Gateway | 43.1 km N | 5,552 |
| Wasilla | 45.6 km NNW | 9,284 |
| Palmer | 46.4 km N | 6,788 |
| Lakes | 47.2 km N | 8,364 |
Earthquake history in this area
12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Alaska.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
7 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.3 13 km ENE of Susitna, AlaskaFelt · 15
M 3.9 1 km WSW of Hope, AlaskaFelt · 947
M 3.5 31 km SE of Chickaloon, AlaskaFelt · 6
M 3.1 4 km WSW of Point Possession, AlaskaFelt · 1
M 3.4 23 km E of Point Possession, AlaskaFelt · 6
M 3.0 29 km SW of Hope, AlaskaFelt · 1
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 23 km ESE of Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
SeismoWatch pushes a notification to your Android phone within minutes of a matching earthquake — for the area and magnitude you choose.
Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 23 km ESE of Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska earthquake?
Magnitude 3.0 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 28.5 km. Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Exactly when did it happen?
Aug 20, 2026, 03:23 AM (local time at the epicentre — AKDT, UTC-8). In universal time: 2026-08-20 11:23 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 34 people · community intensity III (weak). Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Elmendorf Air Force Base, 23.6 km WNW (population 6,621).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 9.2 (The 1964 Prince William Sound, Alaska Earthquake, 1964), and 7 further events were recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.
How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?
Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.
About this page
Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and, in Venezuela, FUNVISIS. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.