M4.2 Earthquake 43 km ESE of Nikolski, Alaska — December 28, 2020
2020-12-28 18:15:50 UTC (2020-12-28) · approx. 7:15 AM UTC-11 local
On December 28, 2020 at 18:15 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 43 km ESE of Nikolski, Alaska, at a depth of 38.0 km and coordinates 52.7427°, -168.3077°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-168.3077°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Nikolski, Alaska?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck 43 km ESE of Nikolski, Alaska on December 28, 2020 at 18:15 UTC had a depth of 38.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000d6gz). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, December 28, 2020). M4.2 Earthquake 43 km ESE of Nikolski, Alaska — December 28, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000d6gz/