M4.8 Earthquake 75 km ESE of King Cove, Alaska — February 6, 2021
2021-02-06 18:39:50 UTC (2021-02-06) · approx. 7:39 AM UTC-11 local
On February 6, 2021 at 18:39 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 75 km ESE of King Cove, Alaska, at a depth of 51.0 km and coordinates 54.7289°, -161.2984°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 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
Earthquake Details
-161.2984°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near King Cove, Alaska?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 75 km ESE of King Cove, Alaska on February 6, 2021 at 18:39 UTC had a depth of 51.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 54.7289°, -161.2984°, which is 75 km ESE of King Cove, Alaska. View all earthquakes in Alaska.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 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 4.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000df6i). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, February 6, 2021). M4.8 Earthquake 75 km ESE of King Cove, Alaska — February 6, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000df6i/