4.0

M4.0 Earthquake 160 km SE of Chignik, Alaska — August 8, 2021

2021-08-08 20:41:41 UTC (2021-08-08) · approx. 10:41 AM UTC-10 local

MagnitudeM4.0(ml)
Time20:41 UTC≈ 10:41 AM UTC-10
Depth28.8 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates55.458°, -156.310°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS· green PAGER
green Alert— no significant casualties or damage expected

On August 8, 2021 at 20:41 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 160 km SE of Chignik, Alaska, at a depth of 28.8 km and coordinates 55.4580°, -156.3097°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 15 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 347 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 55.46°, -156.31°

ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity

Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.

USGS ShakeMap intensity contours for the M4.0 earthquake near 160 km SE of Chignik, Alaska

Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.0 ml
Depth
28.8 km
shallow crustal
Location
55.4580°N
-156.3097°E
Intensity (MMI)
1.9
weak

Technical Information

Event ID
ak021a46dwa4
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
246
RMS Residual
0.94 sec
Last Updated
2021-10-23 15:45:54 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake near Chignik, Alaska?

The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck 160 km SE of Chignik, Alaska on August 8, 2021 at 20:41 UTC had a depth of 28.8 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 4.0 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: ak021a46dwa4). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, August 8, 2021). M4.0 Earthquake 160 km SE of Chignik, Alaska — August 8, 2021. Retrieved October 23, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/ak021a46dwa4/