Magnitude 1.6 - 10 miles SE of Burwash Landing
May 21, 2023 12:33:10 AKDT (May 21, 2023 20:33:10 UTC)
61.0260°N 138.8224°W Depth 2.3 miles (3 km)
This event has been reviewed by a seismologist
- 47 miles (76 km) NW of Haines Junction
- 107 miles (173 km) N of Yakutat
- 122 miles (197 km) NE of Icy Bay
- 130 miles (210 km) W of Whitehorse
- 134 miles (217 km) SE of Chisana
- 139 miles (225 km) NE of Cape Yakataga
- 139 miles (225 km) E of McCarthy
- 151 miles (244 km) NW of Klukwan
- 162 miles (262 km) NW of Skagway
- 166 miles (269 km) SE of Nabesna
- 167 miles (270 km) SE of Northway
- 243 miles (393 km) NW of Juneau
- Magnitude type: Ml
- Event type: earthquake
Tectonic Setting of the Denali Fault
The Denali Fault is a major intracontinental right-lateral strike-slip fault that partially accommodates the oblique collision of the Yakutat block into Alaska's margin, extending from northwestern British Columbia to the central and western regions of Alaska. The largest earthquake recorded on the Denali Fault was a M7.9 on November 3, 2002. Its rupture extended for nearly 270 miles (435 km) along the central Denali Fault system. This event was preceded by the M6.7 Nenana Mountain Earthquake on October 23, which ruptured 25 miles (40 km) of the Denali Fault west of the M7.9 event. It is typical behavior of these major right-lateral faults in the Interior to produce very low background levels of seismicity between large ruptures hundreds of years apart that are followed by multi-year aftershock sequences. Another notable feature associated with the Denali Fault system is the Kantishna seismic cluster, located just north of the main fault trace inside Denali National Park. This cluster produces tens of small, shallow earthquakes every day. The largest known earthquakes in this cluster are on the order of magnitude 5, but those are rare. This cluster is believed to accommodate deformation between the Denali Fault and the Minto Flats Seismic Zone to the north.