February 21, 1991 Earthquake: Bering Sea

Name: February 21, 1991 Earthquake: Bering Sea
Start: 1991-02-21
Location: Bering Sea

February 21, 1991 · M6.7

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Bering Sea on February 21, 1991 at 02:35:34 UTC, 20 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: February 21, 1991
Time: 02:35:34 UTC
Place: Bering Sea
Magnitude: 6.7 (Mw)
Focal depth: 20 km (12 mi)
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 58.427° N, 175.450° W
Country: Bering Sea

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.

1991, February 21, 02:35:34 UTC. 58.427 N, 175.45 W, depth 20 km, magnitude 6.2 mb, 6.5 MS, 6.7 MW. Felt (IV) on St. Paul in the Pribilof Islands, Alaska. Felt (III) on Adak in the Andreanof Islands, Alaska. A small tsunami was generated with maximum wave heights (peak-to-trough) of 30 cm at Dutch Harbor and 22 cm at Adak. Believed to be the largest earthquake ever located in this area. (reference #1053)

Significant earthquakes of 1991 The 1900s Every quake the USGS located in 1991 Recent earthquakes near here This 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 6480.