Alaska earthquakes

M5.2 earthquake 280 km WSW of Adak, Alaska

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck 280 km WSW of Adak, Alaska on Thu, Dec 2, 2021, 2:26 PM GMT+12 (02:26 UTC), 22 km (14 mi) below the surface.

Map

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

Open the live map with earthquakes

The earthquake

Magnitude: 5.2 (mww), moderate
Local time: Thu, Dec 2, 2021, 2:26 PM GMT+12
UTC: 2021-12-02 02:26:59 UTC
Depth: 21.9 km (13.6 mi), shallow
Epicenter: 50.969° N, 179.601° E
Region: Alaska
Felt reports: 2
Strongest shaking: IV, light 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: IV, light shaking
Peak ground acceleration: 2.3% of gravity
Peak ground velocity: -0.2 cm/s
Map: Automatic

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

Did you feel it?

2 people reported to the USGS what they felt; the strongest reported shaking was II, weak shaking.

Fault motion and ground failure

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

Faulting: Strike-slip
Moment magnitude: 5.2 Mww
Nodal plane 1: Strike 186°, dip 64°, rake 17°
Nodal plane 2: Strike 88°, dip 75°, rake 153°

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Location uncertainty: About 4.4 km horizontally, 2.8 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty: ±0.05
Depth from: From location
Station coverage gap: 39°
Stations used: 181

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 2.2 and up: 50 in the 60 days after this one and 29 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 us6000g8cc (also filed as usauto6000g8cc, at00r3gusq, ak021ffpx9hr, iscgem621606951). Read Fri, Sep 25, 2026, 3:44 PM UTC.