Moderate magnitude 5.1 earthquake at 88 km depth
12 Mar 20:02 UTC: First to report: VolcanoDiscovery after 3 minutes.
12 Mar 20:04: Now using data updates from USGS
12 Mar 20:11: Magnitude recalculated from 4.8 to 5.1. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 92.7 to 88.4 km (from 58 to 55 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 4.7 km (2.9 mi) towards W.
Update Sat, 12 Mar 2022, 20:15
Significant 5.1 quake hits near Kenai, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, USA
5.1 quake 12 Mar 10:59 am (GMT -9)
The United States Geological Survey reported a magnitude 5.1 quake in the United States near Kenai, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, only 15 minutes ago. The earthquake hit in the morning on Saturday, March 12th, 2022, at 10:59 am local time at an intermediate depth of 55 miles. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.
Our monitoring service identified a second report from France’s Réseau National de Surveillance Sismique (RéNaSS) which listed the quake at magnitude 5.2. Other agencies reporting the same quake include the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) at magnitude 5.1, and the citizen-seismograph network of RaspberryShake at magnitude 5.1.
Generally quakes of this magnitude are recorded by more than one agency and the results can vary, with subsequent reports that come in after the first one often showing more accuracy.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake should not have caused any significant damage, but was probably felt by many people as light vibration in the area of the epicenter.
Weak shaking might have been felt in Nikiski (pop. 4,500) located 26 miles from the epicenter, Kenai (pop. 7,700) 31 miles away, Kalifornsky (pop. 7,900) 36 miles away, Ridgeway (pop. 2,000) 36 miles away, Cohoe (pop. 1,400) 38 miles away, Soldotna (pop. 4,500) 39 miles away, and Sterling (pop. 5,600) 46 miles away.
Other towns or cities near the epicenter where the quake might have been felt as very weak shaking include Alaska City (pop. 298,700) located 78 miles from the epicenter.
VolcanoDiscovery will automatically update magnitude and depth if these change and follow up if other significant news about the quake become available. If you’re in the area, please send us your experience through our reporting mechanism, either online or via our mobile app. This will help us provide more first-hand updates to anyone around the globe who wants to know more about this quake.
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Earthquake data
Date & time: Mar 12, 2022 19:59:48 UTC –
Local time at epicenter: Saturday, Mar 12, 2022 at 10:59 am (GMT -9)
Magnitude: 5.1
Depth: 88.4 km
Epicenter latitude / longitude: 60.7797°N / 152.0345°W 
(Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, United States)
Antipode: 60.78°S / 27.966°E
Nearest volcano: Redoubt (51 km / 32 mi)
Nearby towns and cities:
42 km (26 mi) WNW of Nikiski (pop: 4,490) –> See nearby quakes!
49 km (31 mi) WNW of Kenai (pop: 7,660) –> See nearby quakes!
57 km (36 mi) NW of Kalifornsky (pop: 7,850) –> See nearby quakes!
62 km (39 mi) WNW of Soldotna (pop: 4,540) –> See nearby quakes!
74 km (46 mi) WNW of Sterling (pop: 5,620) –> See nearby quakes!
125 km (78 mi) WSW of Alaska City (pop: 298,700) –> See nearby quakes!
129 km (80 mi) NNW of Homer (pop: 5,520) –> See nearby quakes!
146 km (91 mi) WSW of Eagle River (pop: 24,800) –> See nearby quakes!
146 km (91 mi) WSW of Eagle River (Anchorage) (pop: 24,800) –> See nearby quakes!
154 km (96 mi) WSW of Knik-Fairview (pop: 14,900) –> See nearby quakes!
Weather at epicenter at time of quake:
Overcast Clouds 
1.6°C (35 F), humidity: 98%, wind: 2 m/s (3 kts) from N
Primary data source: USGS (United States Geological Survey)
Estimated released energy: 2.8 x 1012 joules (783 megawatt hours, equivalent to 674 tons of TNT) | about seismic energy
Data for the same earthquake reported by different agencies
Info: The more agencies report about the same quake and post similar data, the more confidence you can have in the data. It takes normally up to a few hours until earthquake parameters are calculated with near-optimum precision.
| Mag. | Depth | Location | Source |
| 5.1 | 88 km | 41 Km WNW of Nikiski, Alaska | USGS |
| 5.1 | 88 km | Southern Alaska | RaspberryShake |
| 4.8 | 88 km | Southern Alaska | GFZ |
| 5.1 | 10 km | Near Anchorage | RENASS |
| 4.8 | 100 km | SOUTHERN ALASKA | EMSC |
User reports for this quake (88)
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Wasilla, Matanuska-Susitna, Alaska (164.1 km NE of epicenter) [Map] / Weak shaking (MMI III) : I was in my bed and thought my dog as moving but my dog wasn’t there so I ran to my dad and he said he felt it, very light but we might have a bigger aftershock lol | One user found this interesting.
Anchorage, Alaska (120 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 2-5 s : Gentle roller. Made house creak a little. Felt a several bumps during the rolling. Kiddo didnt notice it while playing next me. | One user found this interesting. (reported through our app)
Alaska City, Anchorage (126.6 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : Gentle shaking. Playing video games. | 2 users found this interesting. (reported through our app)
Houston, Alaska / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : At first I thought it was the dog, leaning against the bed scratching, but it wasn’t. I even heard the furniture and walls creek slightly. | One user found this interesting.
near Nikiski, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska (30.9 km ESE of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 2-5 s : I was sitting at my computer desk. There was a rolling shake followed by a stronger jolt then a lighter roll. I went to where my cat was reclining and he was staring at me with wide eyes. Obviously, he felt it but was not alarmed. Sherry Innes, between Ke
Chugiak AK (188.5 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 30-60 s : seemed gentle swaying and seemed like a long one. I dont know if I felt the light shaking afterward or not seemed like lots of small shaking for another minute. Might have been a figment of my imagination. Was sitting with a person who was here for the bi
2180 s foothills blvd Wasilla, AK 99654 (157.8 km NE of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Swaying back and forth. Like waves moving back and forth | One user found this interesting.
Anchorage alaska (180.9 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV) : Sitting on sofa texting and there was a shake then it trailed off | One user found this interesting.
Talkeetna, Alaska (191.6 km NNE of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Inside working on computer. Felt a big shake for a few seconds. | One user found this interesting.
Alaska City, Anchorage (124.6 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : Sitting at home upstairs. | One user found this interesting. (reported through our app)
Alaska City, Anchorage (123 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 minutes : tipical anchorage pattern. jolt/shift followed by rolling waves | One user found this interesting.
Alaska City, Anchorage (125.8 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : Weak and brief | One user found this interesting. (reported through our app)
Alaska City, Anchorage (129.2 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 10-15 s : Felt mild shaking while sitting | One user found this interesting. (reported through our app)
Kenai, Alaska (54.3 km ESE of epicenter) [Map] / Weak shaking (MMI III) : Slow rolling earthquake. Definitely felt from ground/second flooring. | One user found this interesting. (reported through our app)
Seward Alaska / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : Just sitting then started shaking back and forth like someone grabbed bed sitting on and started shaking it. Was long enough to go get clothes to get dressed.
Soldotna / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Just a little bump that made me stop and pause and then some pretty good shaking that rattled stuff in the cupboards
Clam Gulch / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 30-60 s : Couch gently rocking east-west motion for over 30 seconds. Woke up from a light sleep Hardly noticed but it rocked long enough to go on your website and wonder
Cook inlet, near refinery / not felt : Nothing was felt on the water. Aboard the titan | One user found this interesting.
Peter’s Creek, AK / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 10-15 s : One strong jolt then some rolling. | One user found this interesting.
Anchorage AK (119.3 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / very short : very short 2-3 bumps on the couch I was sitting on
Alaska City, Anchorage (127.4 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s (reported through our app)
Diamond Ridge, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska (126.3 km SSE of epicenter) [Map] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s (reported through our app)
Sutton-Alpine, Matanuska-Susitna, Alaska (214.6 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s
Anchorage alaska (180.9 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV) : Sitting on sofa texting and there was a shake then it trailed off
Meadow Lakes, 99654 (156.7 km NE of epicenter) [Map] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / very short
Soldotna, Alaska (105.5 km E of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : I was in my bedroom, using my laptop when I felt a sudden jolt.
in office (172.3 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / very short : 2 weak shakes downtown anchorage
Kenai, Alaska (48 km ESE of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 10-15 s : From South to North
Wasilla, AK (168.6 km NE of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 2-5 s (reported through our app)
99503 (125.1 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 30-60 s : Light shaking
Wasilla, Matanuska-Susitna, Alaska (159.6 km NE of epicenter) [Map] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 10-15 s (reported through our app)
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Aftershocks
[More info]
Recorded aftershocks, latest first (1 quake)
| Mar 21, 2022 17:02 2 weeks ago |
2.2 76 km |
25 Km WNW of Nikiski, Alaska | More |
Earlier earthquakes in the same area
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