Recent earthquakes in Alaska
Alaska sits above the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone, where the Pacific Plate dives beneath North America along a 3,000 km arc, making it the most seismically active state in the U.S. The 1964 Great Alaska earthquake (M9.2) is the largest ever recorded in North America. Inland faults such as the Denali Fault add crustal earthquakes. In the past 24 hours, Alaska has recorded 11 earthquakes, the largest an M5.0 (52 km E of Denali National Park, Alaska).
Counts include M2.5+ events — the smallest size USGS reports consistently worldwide.
Recent earthquakes
| Magnitude | Time (UTC) | Depth | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| M2.6 | Jul 29, 03:01 UTC | 5 km | 52 km ENE of Denali National Park, Alaska |
| M3.7 | Jul 28, 20:54 UTC | 2 km | 28 km WNW of Ivanof Bay, Alaska |
| M3.5 | Jul 28, 20:52 UTC | 1 km | 54 km E of Denali National Park, Alaska |
| M5.0 | Jul 28, 20:49 UTC | 5 km | 52 km E of Denali National Park, Alaska |
| M2.6 | Jul 28, 19:24 UTC | 24 km | 13 km N of Meadow Lakes, Alaska |
| M3.3 | Jul 28, 19:19 UTC | 5 km | 50 km WSW of Pelican, Alaska |
| M2.7 | Jul 28, 15:49 UTC | 16 km | 64 km WSW of Pelican, Alaska |
| M3.5 | Jul 28, 15:03 UTC | 38 km | 25 km E of Akhiok, Alaska |
| M2.7 | Jul 28, 12:22 UTC | 5 km | 66 km SSE of Atka, Alaska |
| M2.6 | Jul 28, 05:50 UTC | 19 km | 130 km SW of Adak, Alaska |
| M2.5 | Jul 28, 05:09 UTC | 6 km | 97 km S of Sand Point, Alaska |
| M2.8 | Jul 28, 04:13 UTC | 5 km | 98 km SSE of Atka, Alaska |
| M2.6 | Jul 28, 00:39 UTC | 51 km | 45 km SSE of Adak, Alaska |
| M2.7 | Jul 28, 00:38 UTC | 4 km | 80 km SSE of Atka, Alaska |
| M2.7 | Jul 27, 23:29 UTC | 27 km | 25 km N of Four Mile Road, Alaska |
| M2.9 | Jul 27, 22:26 UTC | 17 km | 68 km SSE of Adak, Alaska |
| M2.5 | Jul 27, 19:21 UTC | 65 km | 7 km NW of Anchor Point, Alaska |
| M2.9 | Jul 27, 14:53 UTC | 2 km | 57 km SSE of Sand Point, Alaska |
| M2.7 | Jul 27, 14:40 UTC | 5 km | 213 km SE of Chiniak, Alaska |
| M3.1 | Jul 27, 14:08 UTC | 3 km | 155 km SW of Nikolski, Alaska |
| M2.6 | Jul 27, 12:59 UTC | 2 km | 92 km SSE of Atka, Alaska |
| M3.0 | Jul 27, 12:47 UTC | 20 km | 87 km SE of Atka, Alaska |
| M2.9 | Jul 27, 11:30 UTC | 60 km | 67 km SSW of Nanwalek, Alaska |
| M3.9 | Jul 27, 10:12 UTC | 35 km | 128 km SSE of Atka, Alaska |
| M2.9 | Jul 27, 09:49 UTC | 19 km | 141 km SW of Nikolski, Alaska |
Notable recent activity
A moderate M5.8 earthquake struck 99 km SE of Atka, Alaska at 08:35 UTC on Jul 26 at a depth of 10 km.
A moderate M5.1 earthquake struck 92 km SE of Atka, Alaska at 09:30 UTC on Jul 23 at a depth of 35 km.
A moderate M5.0 earthquake struck 52 km E of Denali National Park, Alaska at 20:49 UTC on Jul 28 at a depth of 5 km.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Alaska have so many earthquakes?
Alaska lies along the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone, where the Pacific Plate subducts beneath North America. This produces frequent great megathrust earthquakes offshore, deep intraslab events, and crustal earthquakes on inland faults like the Denali Fault.
What was the 1964 Alaska earthquake?
The March 27, 1964 Great Alaska earthquake, magnitude 9.2, is the largest recorded in North American history and the second-largest ever measured. It caused widespread ground failure and a major tsunami across south-central Alaska.
How often do big earthquakes hit Alaska?
Alaska records thousands of earthquakes a year and more magnitude 7 events than the rest of the United States combined. Many occur along the sparsely populated Aleutian arc, limiting damage despite their size.
Nearby regions
Live data from the USGS earthquake feeds. Magnitudes and depths are automated readings and may be revised. Not for emergency use.