USGS · August 31, 2026
Magnitude 5.3 earthquake — 89 km SSW of Nikolski, Alaska
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake was recorded near 89 km SSW of Nikolski, Alaska on Aug 31, 2026, 10:44 PM (local time at the epicentre — AKDT, UTC-8), at a depth of about 26.0 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 3 people · community intensity V (moderate)Shaking IIITsunami flaggedShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-04 18:15 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 5.3 · moment magnitude (W-phase)
- Location
- 89 km SSW of Nikolski, Alaska
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 31, 2026, 10:44 PM — AKDT, UTC-8
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-01 06:44 UTC
- Depth
- 26.0 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 52.213, -169.446
- Felt reports
- Felt by 3 people · community intensity V (moderate)
- Estimated shaking
- III · Weak
- Tsunami
- Flagged for tsunami evaluation by the responsible warning centre.
- Significance
- 434 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 129 seismic stations used · 104° 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 III (Weak): Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
People who reported it described intensity V (Moderate): Felt by nearly everyone; unstable objects overturn and some plaster cracks.
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
11 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Alaska.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
102 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 4.0 103 km SSW of Nikolski, AlaskaShaking II
M 3.5 87 km SSW of Nikolski, Alaska
M 3.5 108 km S of Nikolski, AlaskaShaking II
M 3.7 113 km S of Nikolski, AlaskaShaking II
M 3.8 100 km SSW of Nikolski, AlaskaShaking II
M 3.1 108 km SSW of Nikolski, Alaska
M 3.9 111 km SSW of Nikolski, AlaskaShaking II
M 3.5 107 km SSW of Nikolski, AlaskaShaking II
M 3.2 113 km SSW of Nikolski, Alaska
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 89 km SSW of Nikolski, 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 89 km SSW of Nikolski, Alaska earthquake?
Magnitude 5.3 (moment magnitude (W-phase)), at a depth of 26.0 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 31, 2026, 10:44 PM (local time at the epicentre — AKDT, UTC-8). In universal time: 2026-09-01 06:44 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 3 people · community intensity V (moderate). Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Was there a tsunami warning?
Flagged for tsunami evaluation by the responsible warning centre.
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?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.8 (81 km E of Nikolski, Alaska, 1965), and 102 further events were recorded within 100 km 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.