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M4.9 Earthquake near Yakutat, United States — 07 December 2025, 18:04 UTC

A light earthquake of magnitude 4.9 was recorded near Yakutat, United States on , with an epicentre 103 km north of Yakutat, at a focal depth of 5.0 km. It ranked as the 16th strongest of 6783 earthquakes recorded in the United States in the preceding 30 days.

4.9 Light

Time (UTC): 2025-12-07 18:04:08

Time (your timezone): —

Magnitude: 4.9 (light)

Focal depth: 5.0 km (shallow)

Epicentre: 60.4711, -139.6040

Location: 103 km N of Yakutat, Alaska

Country: United States

USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Available

Review status: Reviewed

Source: USGS event page

How strong was this earthquake?

Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items.

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake radiates roughly 317 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 367, which is below the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.

What the magnitude scale actually measures →

When it happened locally

That is about 08:45 local solar time at the epicentre, during the morning.

This event was shallower than 58% of the 161,355 earthquakes recorded in the United States in our catalogue and stronger than 100% of them.

Where was the epicentre?

The epicentre was located at 60.4711, -139.6040 — 103 km north of Yakutat. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 1.6 earthquake 3 km south-southwest of here on 04 September 2026.

The nearest other settlements in our records are Burwash Landing (16 km north-northwest), Beaver Creek (70 km west-southwest), Alcan Border (95 km north) and Copper Center (98 km west).

Why the 5 km depth matters

At 5 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.

This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.

Read more on how focal depth changes what you feel →

What does the tsunami information flag mean?

The USGS event record links to NOAA tsunami information because this was a large event in an oceanic region. That link flag does not mean a tsunami occurred or that a warning is active. Check tsunami.gov and instructions from your local authority for the current status of your coastline.

How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →

Aftershocks and local seismic history

217 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 5.8.

117 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 7.0 event near Yakutat on 06 December 2025. This M4.9 event released about 1,505 times less energy than that event.

271 earthquakes have been recorded within 100 km of this epicentre in the past year, 214 of them in the past 30 days.

How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →

Where this event sits in the record

This earthquake is part of the December 2025 worldwide record, and of earthquakes in the United States during December 2025. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.

Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre

Other recent earthquakes in the United States

All recorded earthquakes in the United States →

Other magnitude 4 earthquakes worldwide

All magnitude 4 earthquakes →

Questions about this earthquake

How strong was the earthquake near Yakutat?

It measured magnitude 4.9 — a light earthquake. A magnitude 4.9 earthquake radiates roughly 317 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

How deep was the earthquake near Yakutat?

The focus was 5 km below the surface, which counts as shallow.

Was the Yakutat earthquake felt at the surface?

At magnitude 4.9 and a focal depth of 5 km, shaking would have been concentrated near the epicentre.

When did the earthquake near Yakutat happen?

07 December 2025 at 18:04 UTC.

Was there a tsunami?

The USGS record carries a link to NOAA tsunami information for this event. That is not a warning: check your regional tsunami warning centre for any live alert.

Have there been aftershocks?

217 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 5.8.

How often do earthquakes happen near Yakutat?

117 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 7.0 event near Yakutat on 06 December 2025. This M4.9 event released about 1,505 times less energy than that event.