3.9

M3.9 Earthquake 25 km SW of Susitna, AlaskaJune 13, 2023

2023-06-13 20:08:13 UTC (2023-06-13) · approx. 10:08 AM UTC-10 local

Felt by 62 people across nearby locations.

MagnitudeM3.9(ml)
Time20:08 UTC10:08 AM UTC-10
Depth62.3 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates61.401°, -150.889°
Felt by62DYFI responses· max MMI 2.9
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS· green PAGER
green Alertno significant casualties or damage expected

On June 13, 2023 at 20:08 UTC, a magnitude 3.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 25 km SW of Susitna, Alaska, at a depth of 62.3 km and coordinates 61.4012°, -150.8890°. The earthquake was reported felt by 62 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 2.9 (weak). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. The nearest populated place is Willow (population 2,102).

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.

The epicenter is located in Alaska, a region characterized by Pacific Plate subduction beneath the North American Plate, producing frequent megathrust and crustal earthquakes along the Aleutian arc. The nearest mapped fault system is the Aleutian megathrust. View all earthquakes in Alaska.

Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences

Nearest Populated Places

Willowpop. 2,102
MMI 2.6 (weak)
Nikiskipop. 4,493
MMI 2.6 (weak)
Kenaipop. 7,100
MMI 2.5 (weak)
Ridgewaypop. 2,022
MMI 2.5 (weak)
Sterlingpop. 5,617
MMI 2.5 (weak)
Soldotnapop. 4,163
MMI 2.5 (weak)
Map showing earthquake epicenter at 61.40°, -150.89°

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 25 km SW of Susitna, Alaska

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

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 62 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M3.9 earthquake near 25 km SW of Susitna, Alaska

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Population exposure (USGS PAGER)

Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.

Shaking intensity (MMI)DescriptionPopulation exposed
MMI 3weak79,670

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.9 ml
Depth
62.3 km
shallow crustal
Location
61.4012°N
-150.8890°E
Felt Reports
62
DYFI responses
Intensity (MMI)
2.9
weak
Community Intensity
3.8
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
ak0237jk3bt8
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
258
RMS Residual
1.06 sec
Last Updated
2023-08-21 04:18:50 UTC

Common Questions

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

The magnitude 3.9 earthquake that struck 25 km SW of Susitna, Alaska on June 13, 2023 at 20:08 UTC had a depth of 62.3 km. It was felt by 62 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 2.9 (weak). For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 61.4012°, -150.8890°, which is 25 km SW of Susitna, Alaska. The nearest populated place is Willow (population 2,102). View all earthquakes in Alaska.

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.

Has Alaska had earthquakes this big before?

The largest recorded earthquake in Alaska was the M9.2 Great Alaska earthquake of March 27, 1964. Today's magnitude 3.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: ak0237jk3bt8). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, June 13, 2023). M3.9 Earthquake 25 km SW of Susitna, AlaskaJune 13, 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/ak0237jk3bt8/