The May 14, 1948 earthquake

M7.1near King Cove, Alaska

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake 15.5 miles deep, 36.1 miles off Aleutians East Borough. The 40th strongest in Alaska’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles in the catalogue, which runs from 1900.

The earthquake

Magnitude: 7.1; moment magnitude (mw)
Depth: 15.5 mi; 25.0 km below the surface
Local time: Friday, May 14, 1948; 12:31 AST; 22:31 UTC
Epicentre: 54.59°N, 161.16°W; 36.1 mi from Aleutians East Borough
In Alaska’s record: 40th; strongest of 124,625 since 1900
Within 50 miles: 1; county; more on this date

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event iscgem897327 (“90 km SE of King Cove, Alaska”). The USGS event page carries the ShakeMap, felt reports and the official summary.

Counties and cities within 50 miles

Distance from the epicentre to each county boundary (zero when inside) and to each city centre.

Counties

Aleutians East BoroughAK · 36.1 mi

Earthquakes around the epicentre

1,970 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of this epicentre since 1973.

Earlier earthquakes of magnitude 5 or more within 50 miles, strongest first

July 2, 1922M6.8
April 29, 1937M6.7
July 24, 1917M6.4
November 6, 1941M6.4
February 11, 1940M6.0
June 27, 1918M6.0
July 25, 1917M6.0
December 3, 1933M5.9
November 14, 1938M5.9
May 7, 1937M5.8

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog. Local time is the time zone of the county nearest the epicentre. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them.