Magnitude 1.2 - 37 miles SW of Kantishna
September 15, 2023 10:17:30 AKDT (September 15, 2023 18:17:30 UTC)
63.0528°N 151.5017°W Depth 6.0 miles (9 km)
This event has been reviewed by a seismologist
- 60 miles (97 km) E of Telida
- 62 miles (100 km) SE of Lake Minchumina
- 67 miles (108 km) NW of Talkeetna
- 77 miles (124 km) N of Skwentna
- 83 miles (134 km) W of Cantwell
- 88 miles (142 km) W of Denali Park
- 90 miles (145 km) E of Nikolai
- 96 miles (155 km) SW of Healy
- 102 miles (165 km) NW of Willow
- 105 miles (170 km) N of Hayes Volcano
- 113 miles (183 km) NW of Hatcher Pass
- 137 miles (222 km) N of Anchorage
- 169 miles (274 km) SW of Fairbanks
- Magnitude type: Ml2
- 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.