M2.9 Earthquake 7 km WSW of Point MacKenzie, Alaska — August 18, 2026
2026-08-18 20:56:40 UTC (2026-08-18) · approx. 10:56 AM UTC-10 local
Felt by 10 people across nearby locations.
On August 18, 2026 at 20:56 UTC, a magnitude 2.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 7 km WSW of Point MacKenzie, Alaska, at a depth of 38.1 km and coordinates 61.3320°, -150.1100°. This earthquake was detected by 139 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 132, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 2.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 60 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
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 10 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
-150.1100°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 2.9 earthquake near Point MacKenzie, Alaska?
The magnitude 2.9 earthquake that struck 7 km WSW of Point MacKenzie, Alaska on August 18, 2026 at 20:56 UTC had a depth of 38.1 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 61.3320°, -150.1100°, which is 7 km WSW of Point MacKenzie, Alaska. View all earthquakes in Alaska.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 2.9 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 2.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: aka2026qioxsy). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 18, 2026). M2.9 Earthquake 7 km WSW of Point MacKenzie, Alaska — August 18, 2026. Retrieved August 30, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/aka2026qioxsy/