Magnitude 2.7 - 148 miles S of Westdahl Peak
May 17, 2023 12:28:12 AKDT (May 17, 2023 20:28:12 UTC)
52.4946°N 163.4419°W Depth 6.5 miles (10 km)
This event has been reviewed by a seismologist
- 149 miles (241 km) SE of Akutan
- 154 miles (249 km) SE of Akutan Pass
- 156 miles (252 km) S of Fisher Caldera
- 157 miles (254 km) S of Isanotski Peaks
- 158 miles (256 km) S of Shishaldin Volcano
- 159 miles (257 km) S of Roundtop Mountain
- 159 miles (257 km) SE of Unalaska
- 160 miles (259 km) SE of Dutch
- 163 miles (264 km) S of False Pass
- 173 miles (280 km) SE of Makushin Volcano
- 180 miles (291 km) S of Frosty Peak
- Magnitude type: Ml
- Event type: earthquake
Tectonic Setting of the Aleutian Islands
The Aleutian Arc marks the region where the Pacific Plate subducts into the mantle beneath the North American Plate. It is a seismically active region, evidenced by the thousands of earthquakes occurring each year. Since 1900, this region has hosted several major megathrust earthquakes, including the 1957 M8.6 in the Andreanof Islands, the 1965 M8.7 in the Rat Islands, the 1986 M7.9 and the 1996 M7.9 in the Andreanof Islands, and the 2003 M7.8 in the Rat Islands. Together they have ruptured the entire length of the megathrust boundary in this region. Another notable source of seismicity in the arc is the zone 6-9 miles (10-15 km) wide of intermediate-depth earthquakes within the subducting Pacific Plate, known as the Wadati-Benioff Zone. The largest recorded intermediate-depth earthquake in this region was the 2014 M7.9 Little Sitkin event. A third source of seismicity in this region are shallow earthquakes associated with volcanic processes and crustal faults within the overriding North American Plate. They occur regularly and may produce vigorous aftershock or swarm-like sequences.