5.0

M5.0 Earthquake 242 km WSW of Adak, AlaskaJanuary 13, 2022

2022-01-13 01:45:59 UTC (2022-01-13) · approx. 1:45 PM UTC-12 local

MagnitudeM5.0(mww)
Time01:45 UTC1:45 PM UTC-12
Depth38.3 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates51.140°, -179.917°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS· Tsunami evaluation
Tsunami Warning Issued

On January 13, 2022 at 01:45 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 242 km WSW of Adak, Alaska, at a depth of 38.3 km and coordinates 51.1400°, -179.9169°.

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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 51.14°, -179.92°

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 M5.0 earthquake near 242 km WSW of Adak, Alaska

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

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.0 mww
Depth
38.3 km
shallow crustal
Location
51.1400°N
-179.9169°E
Intensity (MMI)
3.7
light

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000gbi3
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
385
Azimuthal Gap
56.0°
Min Station Distance
0.546°
RMS Residual
0.90 sec
Last Updated
2023-12-29 04:31:59 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Adak, Alaska?

The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 242 km WSW of Adak, Alaska on January 13, 2022 at 01:45 UTC had a depth of 38.3 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 51.1400°, -179.9169°, which is 242 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: us7000gbi3). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, January 13, 2022). M5.0 Earthquake 242 km WSW of Adak, AlaskaJanuary 13, 2022. Retrieved December 29, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000gbi3/