M5.0 Earthquake 286 km WSW of Adak, Alaska — May 18, 2021
2021-05-18 05:39:59 UTC (2021-05-18) · approx. 5:39 PM UTC+12 local
On May 18, 2021 at 05:39 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 286 km WSW of Adak, Alaska, at a depth of 43.3 km and coordinates 51.1889°, 179.3875°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 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
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.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Earthquake Details
179.3875°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Adak, Alaska?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 286 km WSW of Adak, Alaska on May 18, 2021 at 05:39 UTC had a depth of 43.3 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 51.1889°, 179.3875°, which is 286 km WSW of Adak, Alaska. View all earthquakes in Alaska.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 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 5.0 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000e407). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, May 18, 2021). M5.0 Earthquake 286 km WSW of Adak, Alaska — May 18, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000e407/