Earthquakes in California are extremely common. Washington and Oregon are also subject to frequent rattling, and Alaska’s most recent seismic activity has raised eyebrows. The most important thing to keep in mind when reading about earthquakes is that despite the alarm they may trigger, they’re normal.
An earthquake’s magnitude is scored on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the most powerful. A magnitude 9.5 earthquake has been the strongest earthquake ever recorded. Typically, earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.0 or lower are non-life threatening. Earthquakes larger than a magnitude of 4.0 are capable of more damage, but not always.
Some earthquakes reported below have occurred in states less accustomed to shaking. In areas along the United States' west coast, regions with higher populations have become more equipped to endure seismic activity. In the forms of architecture, evacuation plans, and community alert systems, regions considered to be more susceptible to damage are some of the best suited to handle it.
Regardless, earthquakes are still very much unpredictable, as is their damage. The best method of defense is to be prepared – especially if you live in a region where earthquakes are known to happen.
The following earthquakes have been documented by USGS, one of the few credible and globally-recognized seismic activity monitoring systems. UTC is an abbreviation for Coordinated Universal Time.
Magnitude 3.5 Earthquake Struck 2 km West of Happy Valley, Alaska: On 5 June 2023 at 11:24 PM UTC, a magnitude 3.5 earthquake struck Happy Valley, Alaska, at a depth of 51.7 km.
Magnitude 3.5 Earthquake Struck 31 km East Southeast of Chalkyitsik, Alaska: On 5 June 2023 at 4:38 PM UTC, a magnitude 3.5 earthquake struck Chalkyitsik, Alaska, at a depth of 16.7 km.
Magnitude 3.3 Earthquake Struck 154 km East Southeast of Venice, Louisiana: On 5 June 2023 at 4:16 AM UTC, a magnitude 3.3 earthquake struck Venice, Louisiana, at a depth of 5 km.
Magnitude 3.2 Earthquake Struck 35 km West of Ambler, Alaska: On 5 June 2023 at 10:25 AM UTC, a magnitude 3.2 earthquake struck Ambler, Alaska, at a surface level depth.
Magnitude 3.1 Earthquake Struck New Mexico: On 5 June 2023 at 10:38 PM UTC, a magnitude 3.1 earthquake struck New Mexico at a depth of 12.5 km.
Magnitude 2.7 Earthquake Struck 67 km West of Karluk, Alaska: On 5 June 2023 at 11:18 PM UTC, a magnitude 2.7 earthquake struck Karluk, Alaska, at a depth of 19.4 km.
Magnitude 2.6 Earthquake Struck 16 km South Southwest of Searles Valley, California: On 5 June 2023 at 10:02 PM UTC, a magnitude 2.6 earthquake struck Searles Valley, California, at a depth of 8.8 km.
Magnitude 2.5 Earthquake Struck 6 km East of Santa Rosa, California: On 5 June 2023 at 8:22 AM UTC, a magnitude 2.5 earthquake struck Santa Rosa, California, at a depth of 7.1 km.
Magnitude 2.5 Earthquake Struck 85 km West Southwest of Avalon, California: On 5 June 2023 at 10:40 PM UTC, a magnitude 2.5 earthquake struck Avalon, California, at a depth of 12.5 km.
Magnitude 2.5 Earthquake Struck 31 km Northeast of Circle, Alaska: On 5 June 2023 at 8:34 PM UTC, a magnitude 2.5 earthquake struck Circle, Alaska, at a surface level depth.
Comments / 24