M5.8 Earthquake near Nikolai, Alaska — 30 January 2025
A moderate earthquake of magnitude 5.8 was recorded near Nikolai, Alaska on , with an epicentre 71 km south-southeast of Nikolai, at a focal depth of 0.1 km.
Time (UTC): 2025-01-30 04:40:06
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 5.8 (moderate)
Focal depth: 0.1 km (shallow)
Epicentre: 62.4410, -153.7320
Location: 71 km SSE of Nikolai, Alaska
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Automatic
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 5.8 earthquake radiates roughly 7,558 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 518, 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.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at 62.4410, -153.7320 — 71 km south-southeast of Nikolai. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 2.0 earthquake 32 km southeast of here on 10 July 2026.
Why the 0 km depth matters
At 0 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 can be felt widely and may cause minor local damage. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
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 M5.8 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
183 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 3.8.
3 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 4.1 event near Skwentna on 03 July 2025. This M5.8 event released about 355 times more energy than that event.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the January 2025 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M2.0 earthquake near Nikolai, Alaska — (32 km SE)
- M1.8 earthquake near Skwentna, Alaska — (55 km ENE)
- M1.6 earthquake near Skwentna, Alaska — (55 km ENE)
- M1.4 earthquake near Skwentna, Alaska — (70 km E)
- M1.8 earthquake near Lime Village, Alaska — (86 km S)
- M2.3 earthquake near Skwentna, Alaska — (87 km SE)
- M2.2 earthquake near Lime Village, Alaska — (89 km SSW)
- M1.8 earthquake near Lime Village, Alaska — (113 km SSW)
- M-0.3 earthquake near Beluga, Alaska — (144 km SSE)
- M-0.2 earthquake near Tyonek, Alaska — (144 km SSE)
Other magnitude 5 earthquakes worldwide
- M5.6 earthquake near Port McNeill, Canada —
- M5.5 earthquake near Mutsu, Japan —
- M5.6 earthquake near San Fernando, Peru —
- M5.9 earthquake near Colonia, Micronesia —
- M5.8 earthquake near Kermadec Islands region —
- M5.9 earthquake near Kermadec Islands region —
- M5.6 earthquake near Pacific-Antarctic Ridge —
- M5.6 earthquake near Tsunagi, Japan —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 5.8 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 5.8 earthquake radiates roughly 7,558 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Nikolai?
At 0 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.
Was the M5.8 earthquake near Nikolai felt?
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 shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
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 M5.8 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.
Have there been aftershocks?
183 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 3.8.
How often do earthquakes happen near Nikolai?
3 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 4.1 event near Skwentna on 03 July 2025. This M5.8 event released about 355 times more energy than that event.