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M 5.3 Earthquake Strikes 35 km SSW of Cordova, Alaska

Source: USGS · Alaska

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake was recorded by USGS near 35 km SSW of Cordova. On the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program scale, M5.3 is classified "Moderate". Among the 1,740 earthquake reports Areazine has published, this M5.3 event ranks stronger than 80% of them (rank #260 by magnitude).

The earthquake report, at a glance

Magnitude
M 5.3
USGS class
Moderate
Location
35 km SSW of Cordova
Archive rank
#260 of 1,740
Source
USGS
Published
August 1, 2026
MODERATE

Out of 1,740 earthquake reports Areazine has logged, this one outranks 80% of them — 259 recorded a higher magnitude.

Record status: a point-in-time USGS detection. Aftershocks, revised magnitude, and felt-report data continue to update on USGS's own event page after publication.

What Happened

A M 5.3 ml earthquake struck 35 km SSW of Cordova, Alaska, on 2026-07-27 at 12:52:39 UTC. The event had a depth of 13.3 km.

Location Details

The earthquake was located at coordinates 60.237 latitude, -145.91 longitude. The depth of 13.3 km is classified as shallow (less than 20 km).

Impact Assessment

The earthquake was felt by 78 people, with a maximum reported intensity (CDI) of 3.7 and MMI of 4.327. The alert level was green. No tsunami was generated (tsunami status: 0).

What You Should Know

This was a moderate earthquake. Aftershocks are possible following events of this magnitude. Residents should follow standard earthquake safety practices such as drop, cover, and hold on during shaking.

Source

Data from USGS: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/aka2026msxacu

Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗

Related Earthquakes

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M 3.2 Earthquake 57 km ENE of Chenega, Alaska

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Nationwide notices with similar length or severity timing 8

Two cross-category peer sets, both computed from Areazine's own archive: notices with a similar body length, and notices near the same severity and agency date. These are drawn from other categories, not the same-feed Related list above.

Similar body length

Nearest notices by article body length (821 characters here).

Road Weather Alert Issued for Canberra Area in NSW 821 chars Blowing Snow Advisory in Effect Near White Pass 821 chars Squall Watch in Effect for Lake Manitoba 821 chars Yellow Rainfall Warning Issued for Burgeo - Ramea 821 chars

Similar severity timing

Same severity (medium) notices issued closest in time to August 1, 2026.

Road Weather Alert Issued for Sydney Western Suburbs medium Road Weather Alert for Canberra Due to Fog medium Yellow Wind Warning in Effect for City of Lloydminster medium HAUQM, BC Air Quality Alert: High Risk (AQHI 7) medium

What People Ask

Questions readers often have about this USGS earthquake report.

How strong was this earthquake? ▾
A magnitude 5.3 ml earthquake occurred 35 km SSW of Cordova, Alaska, at a depth of 13.3 km and was felt by 78 people.
How should a magnitude 5.3 ("Moderate") event be understood? ▾
The USGS classifies M5.3 as "Moderate" on its Earthquake Hazards Program scale. Events in this range are felt over a wide area and can cause significant damage near the epicenter, particularly to older or unreinforced buildings.
Is this earthquake stronger or weaker than others in the archive? ▾
This is the #260 strongest of the 1,740 earthquake reports in Areazine's archive by magnitude, stronger than 80% of them and weaker than 259 others.
Was Cordova likely to feel this earthquake? ▾
This event was centered 35 km SSW of Cordova. 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.

The official sources

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CDC Air Quality & Health

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