Alaska earthquakes

M3.8 earthquake 55 km WNW of Nikolski, Alaska

A magnitude 3.8 earthquake struck 55 km WNW of Nikolski, Alaska on Sun, Dec 20, 2020, 8:30 AM AKST (17:30 UTC), 20 km (13 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M4.3 36 km E of Nikolski, Alaska. This one was a foreshock.

Unalaska forecast More in Alaska

Map

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

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The earthquake

Magnitude: 3.8 (ml), minor
Local time: Sun, Dec 20, 2020, 8:30 AM AKST
UTC: 2020-12-20 17:30:20 UTC
Depth: 20.5 km (12.7 mi), shallow
Epicenter: 53.175° N, 169.598° 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.

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Location uncertainty: About 3.2 km horizontally, 13.8 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty: ±0.09
Depth from: From location
Station coverage gap: 95°
Stations used: 28

Nearest places

Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.

Unalaska, AlaskaPopulation 4,491. Forecast217 kmWSW

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 35 in the 60 days after this one and 39 in the 30 days before it.

After

Before

Earthquakes today Alaska earthquakes Live radar here

Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event us6000d3yr (also filed as ak020gbe31ol). Read Wed, Sep 30, 2026, 11:09 PM UTC.