3.9

M3.9 Earthquake 135 km SE of Perryville, AlaskaSeptember 3, 2021

2021-09-03 20:38:35 UTC (2021-09-03) · approx. 9:38 AM UTC-11 local

MagnitudeM3.9(ml)
Time20:38 UTC9:38 AM UTC-11
Depth45.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates54.981°, -157.771°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On September 3, 2021 at 20:38 UTC, a magnitude 3.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 135 km SE of Perryville, Alaska, at a depth of 45.0 km and coordinates 54.9815°, -157.7707°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 11 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 296 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 54.98°, -157.77°

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 M3.9 earthquake near 135 km SE of Perryville, Alaska

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

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.9 ml
Depth
45.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
54.9815°N
-157.7707°E
Intensity (MMI)
1.2
weak

Technical Information

Event ID
ak021bb6c9i0
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
234
RMS Residual
0.77 sec
Last Updated
2021-11-17 17:19:55 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.9 earthquake near Perryville, Alaska?

The magnitude 3.9 earthquake that struck 135 km SE of Perryville, Alaska on September 3, 2021 at 20:38 UTC had a depth of 45.0 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.9 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: ak021bb6c9i0). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, September 3, 2021). M3.9 Earthquake 135 km SE of Perryville, AlaskaSeptember 3, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/ak021bb6c9i0/