M5.3 Earthquake 4 km SW of Salcha, Alaska — January 19, 2024
2024-01-19 21:34:35 UTC (2024-01-19) · approx. 11:34 AM UTC-10 local
Felt by 1,447 people across a wide area. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 6.5 (very strong).
On January 19, 2024 at 21:34 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 4 km SW of Salcha, Alaska, at a depth of 10.5 km and coordinates 64.4909°, -146.9641°. The earthquake was reported felt by 1,447 peopleacross a wide area, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 6.5 (very strong). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. The nearest populated place is Salcha (population 1,095).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 km — 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
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 6.5 (very strong), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Strong shaking felt by everyone. Heavy furniture may move. Books fall from shelves. Plaster and chimneys may crack. Damage is generally slight in well-built structures.
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.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1,447 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
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) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 7,757 |
| MMI 4 | light | 87,464 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 17,130 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 1,267 |
| MMI 7 | very strong | 264 |
Earthquake Details
-146.9641°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Salcha, Alaska?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 4 km SW of Salcha, Alaska on January 19, 2024 at 21:34 UTC had a depth of 10.5 km. It was felt by 1,447 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 6.5 (very strong). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 64.4909°, -146.9641°, which is 4 km SW of Salcha, Alaska. The nearest populated place is Salcha (population 1,095). View all earthquakes in Alaska.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks 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 5.3 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: ak024vrx24o). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, January 19, 2024). M5.3 Earthquake 4 km SW of Salcha, Alaska — January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 4, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/ak024vrx24o/