USGS · August 16, 2026
Magnitude 3.5 earthquake — 46 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was recorded near 46 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands on Aug 16, 2026, 09:40 PM (local time at the epicentre — AST, UTC-4), at a depth of about 18.0 km, according to USGS.
USGSShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-04 18:17 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.5 · duration magnitude
- Location
- 46 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 16, 2026, 09:40 PM — AST, UTC-4
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-08-17 01:40 UTC
- Depth
- 18.0 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 18.760, -64.931
- Felt reports
- No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 194 / 1000 · routine event
- Solution quality
- 23 seismic stations used · 215° azimuthal gap (less 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.
No intensity estimate was published for this event, which is usual for small earthquakes far from populated areas.
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 0 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 115,753 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte Amalie | 46.5 km S | 20,000 |
| Altona | 46.9 km S | 1,316 |
| Tutu | 47.1 km S | 5,519 |
| Road Town | 49.4 km SE | 8,449 |
| Cruz Bay | 49.8 km SSE | 2,743 |
| Spanish Town | 62.7 km ESE | 3,800 |
| Culebra | 64.1 km SW | 1,486 |
| Isabel Segunda | 86.8 km SW | 9,301 |
| Fajardo | 90.1 km WSW | 32,124 |
| Luis M. Cintron | 90.5 km SW | 2,634 |
Earthquake history in this area
11 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Puerto Rico.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
14 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.0 28 km SSW of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
M 3.3 54 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
M 2.9 9 km NE of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
M 3.0 40 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
M 3.0 48 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
M 3.0 3 km NE of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
M 3.4 82 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
M 2.5 20 km SSW of Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands
M 3.1 40 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 46 km N of Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands earthquake?
Magnitude 3.5 (duration magnitude), at a depth of 18.0 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 16, 2026, 09:40 PM (local time at the epicentre — AST, UTC-4). In universal time: 2026-08-17 01:40 UTC.
Was it felt?
No “Did You Feel It?” reports were submitted for this event. Small earthquakes usually pass unnoticed except very close to the epicentre.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Charlotte Amalie, 46.5 km S (population 20,000).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 6.1 (22 km NNE of Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, 1970), and 14 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.