M3.1 Earthquake 116 km NW of Yakutat, Alaska — July 18, 2026
2026-07-18 08:38:32 UTC (43 min ago) · approx. 11:38 PM UTC-9 local
On July 18, 2026 at 08:38 UTC, a magnitude 3.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 116 km NW of Yakutat, Alaska, at a depth of 3.0 km and coordinates 60.2720°, -141.2400°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 83 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred 1 day ago 122 km SE of McCarthy, Alaska. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
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
Earthquake Details
-141.2400°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 3.1 earthquake near Yakutat, Alaska?
The magnitude 3.1 earthquake that struck 116 km NW of Yakutat, Alaska on July 18, 2026 at 08:38 UTC had a depth of 3.0 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 3.1 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.2 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 3.1 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred earlier 122 km SE of McCarthy, Alaska. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 3.1 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: aka2026ocjqde). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, July 18, 2026). M3.1 Earthquake 116 km NW of Yakutat, Alaska — July 18, 2026. Retrieved July 18, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/aka2026ocjqde/