Significant earthquakes of 1929

March 7, 1929 Earthquake: Fox Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, United States

March 7, 1929 · M7.8

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Fox Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, United States on March 7, 1929 at 01:34:00 UTC, 50 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.

Map

Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.

The earthquake

Date
March 7, 1929
Time
01:34:00 UTC
Place
Fox Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, United States
Magnitude
7.8 (Mw)
Focal depth
50 km (31 mi)
Intensity
5 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Epicenter
51.000° N, 170.000° W

The toll

The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

Reference #542:

1929. Mar. 7, 01 34 UTC (Mar. 6). Fox islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska. This earthquake was felt onboard several ships at sea and severely at Dutch Harbor, Alaska. A small tsunami was recorded at Hilo, Hawaii. Magnitude 8.3 Ms CFR, 8.1 Ms GR, 7.9 mb ABE.

Reference #239:

1929, March 7, 01:35 GMT. A magnitude 8.6 earthquake near the Fox Islands produced a small tsunami that was recorded at Honolulu and Hilo, Hawaii, and at San Francisco, California, but not recorded or reported observed in Alaska...The earthquake was felt strongly at Dutch Harbor, Unalaska, and as a seaquake by several ships in the epicentral area.

Reference #414:

1929 (March 6, 14:35 local time) March 7, 1:34:39 UTC, 50 km depth. There was a strong earthquake with source near the Fox Islands. Dutch Harbor felt a severe tremor. A strong seaquake was felt for a minute on Japanese steamships and other ships between 165o and 171o W. ("Sihara Maru" at 51o 17' N., 171o 16' W.; "Yokohama Maru" at 51o 32' N., 169o 31' W.; "President Madison" at 49o 55' N., 165o 3' W.).

Reference #9910:

1929, March 7, 01:34:42.84 UTC, 50.786 N, 169.524 W, depth 25 km, 7.8 Mw P&S, 7.5 Ms ABE1, 7.3 Ms P&S, 7.9 mB ABE1, 8.6 UK B&D.

Reference #1228:

1929, March 7, 01:34:42.32 UTC, 50.852 N, 169.753 W, depth 15 km, 7.8 Mw.

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1929The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1929Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history

Sources

Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 3389.