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M1.2 Depth: 5.0 km

M1.2 Earthquake near 18 km WSW of Ester, Alaska (United States)

UTC time: 2026-01-03 00:23:20 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M1.2 earthquake was recorded near 18 km WSW of Ester, Alaska (United States) on January 3, 2026 at 00:23 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 5 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this small magnitude are usually barely noticeable and cause no damage.

The event was recorded by USGS. United States: 178 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M3.4.

Details

Magnitude
M1.2
Depth
5.0 km
UTC time
2026-01-03 00:23:20 UTC
Local time
—
Country
United States
City
Alaska
Source
usgs
Coordinates
64.78900, -148.37900
Temperature
-35.1°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 5 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 5 km
Shallow
5 km
5 km — shallower than the regional average (15.7 km)
Regional average: 15.7 km
Why depth matters

Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.

Depth classes per USGS

Volcanoes nearby

  • Buzzard Creek
    Distance: 81 km ·Tuff ring(s) ·Elevation: 830 m ·Last eruption: -1050 ·United States
  • Wrangell
    Distance: 378 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 4'278 m ·Last eruption: 1912 ·United States
  • Hayes
    Distance: 404 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 3'034 m ·Last eruption: 1200 ·United States
  • Spurr
    Distance: 434 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 3'374 m ·Last eruption: 1992 ·United States

Historic earthquake map · United States

Open history map
Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.

Country statistics · United States

Country overview
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

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