5.1

M5.1 Earthquake 93 km S of King Cove, AlaskaApril 12, 2026

2026-04-12 20:14:10 UTC (2026-04-12) · approx. 9:14 AM UTC-11 local

Felt by 6 people across nearby locations. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.1 (moderate).

MagnitudeM5.1(mww)
Time20:14 UTC9:14 AM UTC-11
Depth35.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates54.224°, -162.376°
Felt by6DYFI responses· max MMI 4.1
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On April 12, 2026 at 20:14 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 93 km S of King Cove, Alaska, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates 54.2236°, -162.3765°. The earthquake was reported felt by 6 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 4.1 (moderate). This earthquake was detected by 107 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 402, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 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 54.22°, -162.38°

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 M5.1 earthquake near 93 km S of King Cove, Alaska

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

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 6 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M5.1 earthquake near 93 km S of King Cove, Alaska

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.1 mww
Depth
35.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
54.2236°N
-162.3765°E
Felt Reports
6
DYFI responses
Intensity (MMI)
4.1
moderate
Community Intensity
3.8
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000spjb
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
402
Stations Used
107
Azimuthal Gap
123.0°
Min Station Distance
0.750°
RMS Residual
0.88 sec
Last Updated
2026-06-28 20:24:13 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near King Cove, Alaska?

The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 93 km S of King Cove, Alaska on April 12, 2026 at 20:14 UTC had a depth of 35.0 km. It was felt by 6 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 4.1 (moderate). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 54.2236°, -162.3765°, which is 93 km S of King Cove, Alaska. View all earthquakes in Alaska.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 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 5.1 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: us6000spjb). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, April 12, 2026). M5.1 Earthquake 93 km S of King Cove, AlaskaApril 12, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000spjb/