Alaska earthquakes

M4.2 earthquake 80 km SSW of Sand Point, Alaska

A magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck 80 km SSW of Sand Point, Alaska on Sat, Aug 8, 2020, 5:51 PM AKDT (01:51 UTC), 44 km (27 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M5.9 68 km SE of Sand Point, Alaska. This one was a foreshock.

Sand Point forecast 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: 4.2 (mwr), light
Local time: Sat, Aug 8, 2020, 5:51 PM AKDT
UTC: 2020-08-09 01:51:42 UTC
Depth: 44.1 km (27.4 mi), shallow
Epicenter: 54.708° N, 161.120° 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.

Fault motion and ground failure

How the rock slipped, from the moment tensor, and the USGS estimate of landslides and liquefaction.

Faulting: Reverse (thrust)
Moment magnitude: 4.2 Mwr
Nodal plane 1: Strike 59°, dip 74°, rake 76°
Nodal plane 2: Strike 281°, dip 21°, rake 129°

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Location uncertainty: About 4.4 km horizontally, 5.1 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty: ±0.04
Depth from: From location
Station coverage gap: 78°
Stations used: 128

Nearest places

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

Sand Point, AlaskaPopulation 1,064. Forecast80 kmSSW

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: at least 200 in the 60 days after this one and at least 200 in the 30 days before it.

After

The first 60 of at least 200.

Before

Earthquakes today Alaska earthquakes Live radar here

Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event us6000bbaf (also filed as ak020a767ge3). Read Sun, Sep 27, 2026, 5:09 AM UTC.