M3.9 earthquake 30 km NW of Nikiski, Alaska
A magnitude 3.9 earthquake struck 30 km NW of Nikiski, Alaska on Thu, Aug 22, 1985, 6:16 PM AKDT (02:16 UTC), 15 km (9 mi) below the surface.
A larger quake followed: M4.4 40 km NW of Beluga, Alaska. This one was a foreshock.
Map
Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 3.9 (mb), minor
- Local time
- UTC
- 1985-08-23 02:16:03 UTC
- Depth
- 15.0 km (9.3 mi), shallow
- Epicenter
- 60.853° N, 151.737° W
- Region
- Alaska
- Tsunami flag
- No
- Status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
Did you feel it?
No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.
Nearest places
Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.
Nearby
Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 2 in the 60 days after this one and 1 in the 30 days before it.
After
- 4.440 km NW of Beluga, Alaska · 14994 days ago · 98 km deep · 56 km away
- 3.117 km WSW of Anchorage, Alaska · 14982 days ago · 42 km deep · 89 km away
Before
Earthquakes todayAlaska earthquakesLive radar here
Sources
From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event usp0002j1b. Read Wed, Sep 30, 2026, 12:36 AM UTC.