Alaska earthquakes

M4.8 earthquake 69 km WNW of Adak, Alaska

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck 69 km WNW of Adak, Alaska on Sat, Mar 21, 1987, 5:31 AM HAST (15:31 UTC), 103 km (64 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M5.1 130 km WSW of Adak, Alaska. This one was a foreshock.

More in Alaska

Map

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

Open the live map with earthquakes

The earthquake

Magnitude
4.8 (mb), light
Local time
UTC
1987-03-21 15:31:51 UTC
Depth
102.8 km (63.9 mi), intermediate-depth
Epicenter
52.080° N, 177.582° 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.

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.8 and up: 2 in the 60 days after this one and 3 in the 30 days before it.

After

Before

Earthquakes todayAlaska earthquakesLive radar here

Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event usp00033gv. Read Wed, Sep 30, 2026, 5:43 AM UTC.