Alaska earthquakes

M6.4 earthquake 37 km WNW of Atka, Alaska

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck 37 km WNW of Atka, Alaska on Wed, May 14, 1986, 9:38 PM HADT (06:38 UTC), 33 km (21 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M6.5 25 km NW of Atka, Alaska. This one was a foreshock.

Map

Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.

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The earthquake

Magnitude: 6.4 (mw), strong
Local time: Wed, May 14, 1986, 9:38 PM HADT
UTC: 1986-05-15 06:38:37 UTC
Depth: 33.0 km (20.5 mi), shallow
Epicenter: 52.294° N, 174.726° W
Region: Alaska
Strongest shaking: VI, strong shaking
Tsunami flag: No
Status: Reviewed by a seismologist

Shaking

The USGS ShakeMap: shaking estimated from seismic stations and the quake’s size, on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.

Strongest estimated: VI, strong shaking
Peak ground acceleration: 15.3% of gravity
Peak ground velocity: 2.5 cm/s
Map: Automatic

USGS ShakeMap: estimated shaking intensity around the epicenter — Estimated shaking intensity. Map: USGS ShakeMap.

Did you feel it?

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Depth from: OPERATOR_ASSIGNED

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 3.4 and up: 51 in the 60 days after this one and 69 in the 30 days before it.

After

Before

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event usp0002u0x (also filed as gcmtc051586a, ushis3949, gcmt19860515063837, iscgem495695). Read Wed, Sep 30, 2026, 11:02 AM UTC.