Reported by EMSC14d ago
M2.9 earthquake in Albania
Saturday, September 12, 2026, 16:31:33 UTC · 40.120°N, 19.910°E
A magnitude 2.9 earthquake struck in Albania on Saturday, September 12, 2026, 16:31:33 UTC, at a depth of 2.0 km (shallow).
- Magnitude
- 2.9
- Minor · ml
- Depth
- 2 km
- Shallow
- Reported by
- EMSC
- Agency EMSC
- Nearest tracker
- 52 km
- from Vlore
Outlined circle: this earthquakeDashed circle: 50 km aftershock search area
In context
How big was it, and why here?
Energy released
338 kg of TNT
That is about 1/44,601 of the Hiroshima bomb. A magnitude 5.0 releases about 1,413 times more energy.
Tectonic setting
180 km
from the nearest mapped plate boundary, between the Eurasian and African plates. Earthquakes this far from a boundary happen on faults inside a plate, often less frequently but sometimes strongly.
Depth: shallow
2 km
Shallow earthquakes (under 70 km) produce the strongest surface shaking for their size, so they are the ones most likely to cause damage near the epicenter.
After the main event
Aftershocks within 50 km
USGS and EMSC list 9 M2.5+ earthquakes within 50 km since this event; the largest was M3.5 on September 18, 2026. Most nearby activity right after a large earthquake is aftershocks, which usually become less frequent over days and weeks.
- 2.2Albania3d ago · 8 km SW of this epicenter
- 2.6Adriatic Sea5d ago · 47 km NW of this epicenter
- 2.1Greece6d ago · 41 km E of this epicenter
- 3.5Albania8d ago · 1 km E of this epicenter
- 2.4Albania9d ago · 8 km S of this epicenter
- 2.2Albania11d ago · 6 km SE of this epicenter
- 2.6Albania12d ago · 6 km S of this epicenter
- 2.3Albania12d ago · 9 km S of this epicenter
Regional history
Past M5+ earthquakes within 300 km
USGS lists 525 M5.0+ earthquakes within 300 km before this one (catalog from 1900; older records are less complete). The strongest:
- 7.026 km SW of Lixoúri, GreeceJanuary 17, 1983 · 234 km S of this epicenter
- 6.96 km E of Stari Bar, MontenegroApril 15, 1979 · 227 km N of this epicenter
- 6.815 km ENE of Póros, GreeceAugust 12, 1953 · 233 km SE of this epicenter
- 6.86 km SW of Galaxídhion, GreeceMarch 31, 1965 · 287 km SE of this epicenter
- 6.832 km SW of Lithakiá, GreeceOctober 25, 2018 · 294 km S of this epicenter
- 6.7Ionian SeaNovember 15, 1959 · 259 km S of this epicenter
- 6.76 km NW of Lukovo, North MacedoniaNovember 30, 1967 · 151 km N of this epicenter
- 6.77 km NE of Anávra, GreeceApril 30, 1954 · 217 km SE of this epicenter
History · NOAA
Deadliest earthquakes in this area
NOAA’s significant-earthquake database lists 178 damaging, deadly or tsunami-generating earthquakes within 300 km of this epicenter since 1700, which together caused about 7,466 recorded deaths. The most severe:
- 1851M6.6
Vlore (Valona),Berat; Turkey
12 Oct 1851 · 46 km away · intensity XI
2,000 deathsExtreme damage ($25M+)tsunami
- 1963M6.0
Macedonia: Skopje
26 Jul 1963 · 249 km away · intensity X
1,070 deaths$1.0 billion damage
- 1836
Rossano,Crosia,Craco,Basilicata
24 Apr 1836 · 288 km away · intensity XI
589 deathsSevere damage ($5–24M)
- 1953M7.2
Lixouri-Argostoli (Kephallenia)
12 Aug 1953 · 216 km away · intensity X
476 deaths$100 million damagetsunami
- 1851
Berat
17 Oct 1851 · 46 km away · intensity X
400 deathsSevere damage ($5–24M)
- 1820M6.9
Zakinthos (Zante)
29 Dec 1820 · 288 km away · intensity X
388 deathsSevere damage ($5–24M)tsunami
NOAA NCEI Global Significant Earthquake Database. Historical figures are estimates; older records are incomplete.