The February 5, 1974 earthquake

M6.5near Akutan, Alaska

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake 1.2 miles deep, 22.2 miles off Aleutians East Borough. The 187th strongest in Alaska’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles since a magnitude 7.1 on March 22, 1957.

The earthquake

Magnitude: 6.5; surface-wave magnitude (ms)
Depth: 1.2 mi; 2.0 km below the surface
Local time: Tuesday, February 5, 1974; 19:04 AHDT; 04:04 UTC on Feb 6, 1974
Epicentre: 53.80°N, 164.67°W; 22.2 mi from Aleutians East Borough
In Alaska’s record: 187th; strongest of 124,625 since 1900
Within 50 miles: 1; county; more on this date

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event usp000056v (“81 km ESE of Akutan, 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 · 22.2 mi

Earthquakes around the epicentre

1,649 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

March 22, 1957M7.1
October 29, 1946M6.5
April 2, 1922M6.5
March 17, 1957M6.4
November 20, 1957M6.4
August 19, 1939M6.2
March 13, 1957M6.2
October 14, 1933M6.2
May 1, 1947M6.1
June 28, 1933M6.0

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