Mag 7.0 Earthquake, Hubbard Glacier, Alaska - British Columbia

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SUMMARY

The December 6, 2025, magnitude 7.0 earthquake near the Yakutat Peninsula, Alaska, resulted from oblique slip along the Pacific-North America plate boundary, specifically near the Fairweather Fault. This earthquake mechanism involved a combination of thrust and right-lateral strike slip motion, indicative of the complex tectonic interactions in the Yakutat block. Historically, this region has experienced significant seismic activity, including the 1958 M7.8 Lituya Bay earthquake and the 1979 M7.1 McCarthy earthquake. Following the main quake, approximately 81 aftershocks have been recorded, highlighting the ongoing seismic risk in this area.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of tectonic plate boundaries and their interactions
  • Familiarity with earthquake magnitude scales and measurement
  • Knowledge of seismic fault types, specifically thrust and strike-slip faults
  • Awareness of historical seismic events in the Alaska region
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the Fairweather Fault and its geological significance
  • Study the mechanisms of oblique slip earthquakes
  • Examine the historical seismic activity in the Yakutat block
  • Explore the impact of major earthquakes on local ecosystems and communities
USEFUL FOR

Seismologists, geologists, emergency management professionals, and anyone interested in understanding seismic risks in the Alaska-Canada region.

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M 7.0 - 2025 Hubbard Glacier Earthquake​

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000rsy1/executive
  • 2025-12-06 20:41:49 (UTC)
  • 60.359°N 139.546°W
  • 10.0 km depth
The December 6, 2025 magnitude 7.0 earthquake near the Yakutat Peninsula of Alaska and the US-Canadian border occurred as the result of oblique slip along or near the plate boundary between the Pacific and North America plates. The earthquake mechanism is consistent with a combination of thrust and right-lateral strike slip motion, in the vicinity of the Fairweather Fault. The Fairweather Fault is a major plate boundary fault in the region, and is the northern portion of the Queen Charlotte Fault that extends along much of the western offshore coast of Canada. In south central Alaska, the Fairweather-Queen Charlotte Fault transitions into the Alaska-Aleutians subduction zone in a region of complex tectonics and seismicity termed the Yakutat block. Earthquakes in this region exhibit a range of faulting styles and depths that are indicative of the complex tectonic interactions.

This plate boundary region has produced major earthquakes in the past, including the 1958 M7.8 Lituya Bay earthquake (which caused a massive landslide-triggered tsunami in Lituya Bay), and represents a major hazard in the region. Since 1950, there have been 16 other magnitude 6 or larger earthquakes in the surrounding 320 km, including the 1979 magnitude 7.1 McCarthy earthquake, a thrust event west of the December 6 earthquake. In 1987, a magnitude 7.9 strike slip earthquake occurred offshore near the southwest edge of the Yakutat block in the Gulf of Alaska.
About 81 smaller quakes/aftershocks since the Mag 7.0 earthquake, which looks to be on the Canadian side of the border of Alaska and Canada.
 
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Astronuc said:

M 7.0 - 2025 Hubbard Glacier Earthquake​

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000rsy1/executive
  • 2025-12-06 20:41:49 (UTC)
  • 60.359°N 139.546°W
  • 10.0 km depth

Oops, am late to the party haha
This morning's Alaskan quake from my seismo here in Sydney, Australia.
in 2019, our cruise ship took us all up to the Hubbard Glacier terminal. We got to around 100m from the ice.

1765498846742.webp
 

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