USGS · August 17, 2026
Magnitude 4.5 earthquake — 41 km SW of Karluk, Alaska
A magnitude 4.5 earthquake was recorded near 41 km SW of Karluk, Alaska on Aug 17, 2026, 12:35 PM (local time at the epicentre — AKDT, UTC-8), at a depth of about 57.9 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 6 people · community intensity III (weak)Shaking IVShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-04 18:46 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 4.5 · local (Richter) magnitude
- Location
- 41 km SW of Karluk, Alaska
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 17, 2026, 12:35 PM — AKDT, UTC-8
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-08-17 20:35 UTC
- Depth
- 57.9 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 57.279, -154.894
- Felt reports
- Felt by 6 people · community intensity III (weak)
- Estimated shaking
- IV · Light
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 313 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 121 seismic stations used · 58° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- USGS
Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes
The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.
What the shaking was like
Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Estimated instrumental shaking IV (Light): Felt indoors by many; dishes and windows rattle and parked cars rock.
People who reported it described intensity III (Weak): Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.
Who lives nearby
No populated places over 1,000 inhabitants are listed within 100 km of the epicentre.
Earthquake history in this area
No earthquake of magnitude 4.5+ has been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Alaska.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
4 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 41 km SW of Karluk, Alaska
SeismoWatch pushes a notification to your Android phone within minutes of a matching earthquake — for the area and magnitude you choose.
Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 41 km SW of Karluk, Alaska earthquake?
Magnitude 4.5 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 57.9 km. Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Exactly when did it happen?
Aug 17, 2026, 12:35 PM (local time at the epicentre — AKDT, UTC-8). In universal time: 2026-08-17 20:35 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 6 people · community intensity III (weak). Felt indoors by many; dishes and windows rattle and parked cars rock.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
No populated places over 1,000 inhabitants lie within 100 km of the epicentre.
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
4 further events were recorded within 100 km of the epicentre in the last 30 days.
How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?
Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.
About this page
Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and, in Venezuela, FUNVISIS. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.