M 3.0 Earthquake Occurs 256 km ESE of Chiniak, Alaska
Areazine synthesizes this USGS earthquake report directly from USGS's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
A magnitude 3.0 earthquake struck 256 km ESE of Chiniak, Alaska, at a depth of 35.5 km on September 12, 2026, at 05:48:56 UTC.
What this USGS earthquake report tells you, and what most readers miss
This notice was issued by USGS on April 6, 2026 and geographically references Alaska. Its severity classification of "low" signals how the issuing agency weighs the risk of harm if no action is taken - "critical" and "high" tier alerts typically carry direct consumer actions, while "medium" and "low" tend toward informational guidance or monitoring advisories. The category it belongs to - Earthquakes - determines the monitoring protocol behind it, which shapes what follow-up action (checking for structural damage, watching for aftershocks, reviewing local building codes) is relevant and which agency holds authority over the assessment.
Most readers skim a notice like this, check whether they are personally affected, and move on. The more useful lens is to verify its scope, source, and timestamp, then compare related notices without assuming that one record proves a broader trend.
Areazine pairs this record with the original agency URL so you can check the primary source before acting. Its related labels are earthquake, seismic, usgs, Alaska.
What Happened
A magnitude 3.0 ml earthquake occurred 256 km ESE of Chiniak, Alaska, at a depth of 35.519 km. The event took place on September 12, 2026, at 05:48:56 UTC, based on the recorded timestamp.
Location Details
The earthquake's epicenter was at coordinates 56.5567 latitude and -148.5265 longitude, specifically 256 km ESE of Chiniak in Alaska. The depth of 35.519 km is considered intermediate (between 20-70 km), indicating it occurred in the Earth's crust, which is typical for such events.
Impact Assessment
There are no felt reports available for this earthquake, and no tsunami advisory has been issued, as indicated by the data.
What You Should Know
This is a minor earthquake, as magnitudes between 2.5 and 3.9 are often felt but rarely cause damage. It is possible for aftershocks to occur, and general safety tips include staying informed and knowing how to secure your surroundings in seismic areas.
Source
Information from USGS: [https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000sn4i]
Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗
Related Earthquakes
All Earthquakes →Nationwide notices with similar length or severity timing 8
Two Areazine-derived peer sets for this USGS earthquake report: nearest notices by body length and by same severity near the same agency date. Peers come from other categories so they are not the same-feed Related list above.
Similar body length
Nearest notices by article body length (1,030 characters here).
Similar severity timing
Same severity (low) notices issued closest in time to April 6, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this USGS earthquake report.