4.6

M4.6 Earthquake 78 km SE of Akutan, AlaskaApril 26, 2026

2026-04-26 04:26:59 UTC (2 hours ago) · approx. 5:26 PM UTC-11 local

Felt by 1 person across nearby locations. Aftershock of the M5.4 mainshock.

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time04:26 UTC5:26 PM UTC-11
Depth43.4 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates53.712°, -164.813°
Felt by1DYFI response· max MMI 3.3
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On April 26, 2026 at 04:26 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 78 km SE of Akutan, Alaska, at a depth of 43.4 km and coordinates 53.7119°, -164.8126°. The earthquake was reported felt by 1 personacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 3.3 (light). This earthquake was detected by 61 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.4 mainshock that occurred 22 hours ago 83 km SE of Akutan, Alaska. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 24 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.

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 53.71°, -164.81°

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 M4.6 earthquake near 78 km SE of Akutan, Alaska

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

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response 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 M4.6 earthquake near 78 km SE of Akutan, Alaska

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

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
43.4 km
shallow crustal
Location
53.7119°N
-164.8126°E
Felt Reports
1
DYFI responses
Intensity (MMI)
3.3
light
Community Intensity
2.2
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000ssxr
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Stations Used
61
Azimuthal Gap
157.0°
Min Station Distance
0.768°
RMS Residual
1.24 sec
Last Updated
2026-04-26 05:21:40 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Akutan, Alaska?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 78 km SE of Akutan, Alaska on April 26, 2026 at 04:26 UTC had a depth of 43.4 km. It was felt by 1 person with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 3.3 (light). For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 53.7119°, -164.8126°, which is 78 km SE of Akutan, Alaska. View all earthquakes in Alaska.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Is this the same earthquake as the M5.4 one earlier?

No. This magnitude 4.6 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.4 mainshock that occurred earlier 83 km SE of Akutan, Alaska. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.

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 4.6 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: us6000ssxr). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, April 26, 2026). M4.6 Earthquake 78 km SE of Akutan, AlaskaApril 26, 2026. Retrieved April 26, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000ssxr/