M 3.1 Earthquake Strikes 20 km SSE of Pāhala, Hawaii
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 3.1 earthquake occurred on August 20, 2026, at 05:30 UTC, centered 20 km south-southeast of Pāhala, Hawaii, at a depth of approximately 33 km.
What this USGS earthquake report tells you, and what most readers miss
This notice was issued by USGS on May 14, 2026 and geographically references Hawaii. 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, Hawaii.
What Happened
An earthquake with a magnitude of 3.14 md struck 20 km SSE of Pāhala, Hawaii, at a depth of 32.84 km. The event occurred on August 20, 2026, at 05:30 UTC.
Location Details
The earthquake was located at coordinates 19.04° N, 155.37° W, approximately 20 km south-southeast of Pāhala in Hawaii. With a depth of 32.84 km, this is considered an intermediate depth earthquake (between 20-70 km), which often occurs in areas of tectonic plate subduction and may result in less intense surface shaking compared to shallower events.
Impact Assessment
There have been no felt reports for this earthquake, and no tsunami advisory has been issued.
What You Should Know
This minor earthquake, with a magnitude of 3.14, is often felt in nearby areas but rarely causes damage. Aftershocks are possible following such events, and general safety tips include staying informed through official channels and, if shaking is felt, dropping to the ground, covering your head and neck, and holding on to a sturdy object until the shaking stops.
Source
Information from the United States Geological Survey: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/hv74959527
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 (1,240 characters here).
Similar severity timing
Same severity (low) notices issued closest in time to May 14, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this USGS earthquake report.