5.5

M5.5 Earthquake near Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, AlaskaDecember 13, 2025

2025-12-13 10:51:00 UTC (2025-12-13) · approx. 10:51 PM UTC+12 local

MagnitudeM5.5(mww)
Time10:51 UTC10:51 PM UTC+12
Depth108.0 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates52.151°, 178.353°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS· green PAGER
green Alertno significant casualties or damage expected

On December 13, 2025 at 10:51 UTC, a magnitude 5.5 intermediate depth earthquake struck near Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, at a depth of 108.0 km and coordinates 52.1512°, 178.3529°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 106 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 465, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 3 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 3.8 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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 52.15°, 178.35°

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.

USGS ShakeMap intensity contours for the M5.5 earthquake near Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska

Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.5 mww
Depth
108.0 km
intermediate depth
Location
52.1512°N
178.3529°E
Intensity (MMI)
3.5
light

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000rumi
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
465
Stations Used
106
Azimuthal Gap
32.0°
Min Station Distance
0.208°
RMS Residual
0.76 sec
Last Updated
2026-05-09 11:01:13 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.5 earthquake near Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska?

The magnitude 5.5 earthquake that struck near Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska on December 13, 2025 at 10:51 UTC had a depth of 108.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 52.1512°, 178.3529°, which is near Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska. View all earthquakes in Alaska.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.5 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 5.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

What should I do after an earthquake?

If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000rumi). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, December 13, 2025). M5.5 Earthquake near Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, AlaskaDecember 13, 2025. Retrieved May 13, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000rumi/