Anchorage, AK – A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck a remote area of south-central Alaska Thursday morning, occurring approximately 122 kilometers (76 miles) southeast of McCarthy near Wrangell–St. Elias National Park.
According to the Alaska Earthquake Center, the earthquake occurred at 11:37:21 UTC Thursday, July 16, at a depth of 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles). The epicenter was located near the Alaska-Canada border in a sparsely populated portion of the Wrangell Mountains.
The earthquake has been reviewed by seismologists and has been identified as the potential mainshock of an earthquake sequence. As of publication, only a limited number of residents had submitted “Did You Feel It?” reports, reflecting the remote location of the epicenter.
No immediate reports of injuries or structural damage have been issued. Because the earthquake occurred well inland, there is no tsunami threat associated with this event.
Earthquakes of this magnitude are capable of producing noticeable shaking near the epicenter, but impacts are often limited when they occur far from populated communities. McCarthy, located within Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve, is the nearest well-known community, though the epicenter was more than 75 miles away.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey and the Alaska Earthquake Center, aftershocks are possible in the coming days. Forecast guidance indicates the highest likelihood is for smaller magnitude aftershocks, while the probability of another earthquake exceeding magnitude 5 remains low.
Residents who felt the shaking are encouraged to submit reports through the USGS “Did You Feel It?” program to help scientists better understand how the earthquake was experienced across the region. Officials will continue monitoring seismic activity, and additional information will be released if conditions change.
