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M5.5 Earthquake near Aleneva, United States — 06 October 2026

A moderate earthquake of magnitude 5.5 was recorded near Aleneva, United States on , with an epicentre 92 km north-northwest of Aleneva, at a focal depth of 87.6 km. It ranked as the 5th strongest of 6817 earthquakes recorded in the United States in the preceding 30 days.

5.5 Moderate

Time (UTC): 2026-10-06 18:34:31

Time (your timezone): —

Magnitude: 5.5 (moderate)

Focal depth: 87.6 km (intermediate)

Epicentre: 58.8020, -153.6090

Location: 92 km NNW of Aleneva, Alaska

Country: United States

USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked

Review status: Reviewed

Source: USGS event page

How strong was this earthquake?

Moderate earthquakes can damage poorly built or unreinforced structures near the epicentre, while well-engineered buildings typically escape serious harm. Shaking is often strong enough to wake sleeping residents over a wide area.

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake radiates roughly 2,682 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 600, 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 08:20 local solar time at the epicentre, during the morning.

This event was deeper than 97% of the 160,796 earthquakes recorded in the United States in our catalogue and stronger than 100% of them.

Where was the epicentre?

The epicentre was located at 58.8020, -153.6090 — 92 km north-northwest of Aleneva. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 0.4 earthquake 8 km west of here on 05 October 2026.

The nearest other settlements in our records are Aleneva (94 km south), Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge (151 km southwest) and Akhiok (232 km south-southwest).

Why the 88 km depth matters

At 88 km this was an intermediate-depth earthquake. Energy from events at this depth spreads out before it reaches the surface, which usually means weaker shaking near the epicentre than a shallow quake of the same magnitude, but shaking felt across a wider area.

This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can be felt widely and may cause minor local damage. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.

Read more on how focal depth changes what you feel →

What does the tsunami information flag mean?

The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M5.5 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.

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

Aftershocks and local seismic history

2 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre since this event was recorded, the largest of them magnitude 0.9.

32 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 4.6 event near Karluk on 02 October 2025. This M5.5 event released about 22 times more energy than that event.

988 earthquakes have been recorded within 100 km of this epicentre in the past year, 71 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 October 2026 worldwide record, and of earthquakes in the United States during October 2026. 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 5 earthquakes worldwide

All magnitude 5 earthquakes →

Questions about this earthquake

How strong was the earthquake near Aleneva?

It measured magnitude 5.5 — a moderate earthquake. A magnitude 5.5 earthquake radiates roughly 2,682 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

How deep was the earthquake near Aleneva?

The focus was 88 km below the surface, which counts as intermediate.

Was the Aleneva earthquake felt at the surface?

At magnitude 5.5 and a focal depth of 88 km, the depth spreads the energy out, so shaking is weaker overhead but reaches further.

When did the earthquake near Aleneva happen?

06 October 2026 at 18:34 UTC.

Was there a tsunami?

No. The USGS record carries no tsunami-information link for this event.

Have there been aftershocks?

2 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre since this event was recorded, the largest of them magnitude 0.9.

How often do earthquakes happen near Aleneva?

32 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 4.6 event near Karluk on 02 October 2025. This M5.5 event released about 22 times more energy than that event.