M5.6 Earthquake 57 km WNW of Skwentna, Alaska — August 8, 2026
2026-08-08 04:50:34 UTC (2026-08-08) · approx. 6:50 PM UTC-10 local
Felt by 1,137 people across a wide area. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 5.9 (strong).
On August 8, 2026 at 04:50 UTC, a magnitude 5.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 57 km WNW of Skwentna, Alaska, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 62.2690°, -152.3140°. The earthquake was reported felt by 1,137 peopleacross a wide area, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 5.9 (strong). This earthquake was detected by 228 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 1022, making it one of the most significant global earthquakes in recent days.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 4 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 4.4 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
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 5.9 (strong), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Moderate shaking that everyone in the area would feel. Sleeping people are awakened. Dishes and windows may break. Unstable objects may be knocked over.
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 1,137 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
Earthquake Details
-152.3140°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.6 earthquake near Skwentna, Alaska?
The magnitude 5.6 earthquake that struck 57 km WNW of Skwentna, Alaska on August 8, 2026 at 04:50 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. It was felt by 1,137 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 5.9 (strong). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 62.2690°, -152.3140°, which is 57 km WNW of Skwentna, Alaska. View all earthquakes in Alaska.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.6 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 5.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: aka2026powmkf). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 8, 2026). M5.6 Earthquake 57 km WNW of Skwentna, Alaska — August 8, 2026. Retrieved September 5, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/aka2026powmkf/