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M 4.3 Earthquake 69 km SSW of Kaktovik, Alaska

Source: USGS · Alaska

A magnitude 4.3 earthquake was recorded by USGS near 69 km SSW of Kaktovik. On the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program scale, M4.3 is classified "Light". Among the 1,740 earthquake reports Areazine has published, this M4.3 event ranks stronger than 51% of them (rank #848 by magnitude).

This earthquake report, quickly

Magnitude
M 4.3
USGS class
Light
Location
69 km SSW of Kaktovik
Archive rank
#848 of 1,740
Source
USGS
Published
September 15, 2026
LIGHT

Out of 1,740 earthquake reports Areazine has logged, this one outranks 51% of them — 847 recorded a higher magnitude.

Record status: a snapshot from USGS, not a final record. Check USGS's own event page for aftershocks and any later revision to the magnitude shown here.

What Happened

A M 4.3 ml earthquake struck 69 km SSW of Kaktovik, Alaska, on 2026-09-15 at 12:31:38 UTC. The event had a depth of 6.6 km and was reviewed by the USGS.

Location Details

The epicenter was located at latitude 69.542, longitude -144.23, 69 km SSW of Kaktovik, Alaska. A depth of 6.6 km is considered shallow (less than 20 km).

Impact Assessment

No felt reports were recorded. A tsunami flag of 1 was noted in the data. The maximum instrumental intensity (MMI) was 4.275, and no alert level was assigned.

What You Should Know

Earthquakes of this magnitude are classified as light. Minor aftershocks remain possible in the region.

Source

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/aka2026shljaz - USGS

Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗

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Two Areazine-derived peer sets for this USGS earthquake report: nearest notices by body length and by same severity near the same agency date. Peers come from other categories so they are not the same-feed Related list above.

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Common Questions

Questions readers often have about this USGS earthquake report.

How strong was this earthquake? ▾
A magnitude 4.3 ml earthquake occurred 69 km SSW of Kaktovik, Alaska, at a depth of 6.6 km.
How should a magnitude 4.3 ("Light") event be understood? ▾
The USGS classifies M4.3 as "Light" on its Earthquake Hazards Program scale. Events in this range are often felt near the epicenter and can cause minor damage to vulnerable structures, though widespread damage is uncommon.
How does this compare with other earthquakes Areazine has reported? ▾
This is the #848 strongest of the 1,740 earthquake reports in Areazine's archive by magnitude, stronger than 51% of them and weaker than 847 others.
Was Kaktovik likely to feel this earthquake? ▾
This event was centered 69 km SSW of Kaktovik. Shaking intensity falls off sharply with distance from the epicenter and depends on depth and local geology, so check the USGS "Did You Feel It?" report for this event for real felt-shaking data rather than assuming from magnitude and distance alone.

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