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Magnitude 2.6 - 91 miles SE of Atka
May 18, 2023 14:12:21 AKDT (May 18, 2023 22:12:21 UTC)
50.9930°N 173.3184°W Depth 18.3 miles (29 km)
This event has been reviewed by a seismologist
- 99 miles (160 km) S of Seguam Island
- 102 miles (165 km) SE of Mt. Sergief
- 109 miles (176 km) SW of Amukta Pass
- 114 miles (184 km) SE of Atka Pass
- 115 miles (186 km) SE of Koniuji Island
- 116 miles (188 km) SW of Amukta Pass
- 125 miles (202 km) SE of Kasatochi Island
- 141 miles (228 km) SE of Great Sitkin Island
- 143 miles (231 km) SW of Chagulak Island
- 156 miles (252 km) E of Adak
- 156 miles (252 km) SE of Mt. Adagdak
- Magnitude type: Ml2
- Event type: earthquake
Tectonic Setting of the Aleutian Islands
The world's largest earthquakes originate along convergent plate boundaries such as the Aleutian megathrust. Starting in 1938, a series of three great earthquakes ruptured the subduction zone along its entire length from the Alaska Peninsula to the western Aleutians with the exception of a small gap near the Shumagin Islands. The sequence began with a M8.2 earthquake southwest of Kodiak Island. A M8.6 in the Andreanof Islands followed in 1957, and the sequence concluded with the Rat Islands M8.7 in 1965. The Shumagin Gap still has not ruptured, but GPS observations suggest that little strain has built up in this region.
Another notable source of seismicity in the arc are the intermediate depth earthquakes within the subducting Pacific Plate, known as the Wadati-Benioff zone. The largest recorded earthquake of this kind was the 2014 M7.9 Little Sitkin event. Shallow earthquakes associated with volcano processes and crustal faults within the overriding North American plate occur regularly and may produce vigorous aftershock or swarm-like sequences.