1958 Huslia earthquake
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  Anchorage Fairbanks  | |
| UTC time | 1958-04-07 15:30:45 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 884131 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | April 7, 1958 |
| Magnitude | 7.3 Ms |
| Depth | 6.0–7.0 km |
| Epicenter | 65°54′54″N 156°20′35″W / 65.915°N 156.343°W |
| Type | Thrust (intraplate) |
| Areas affected | Northern Alaska |
| Total damage | Minor |
| Max. intensity | MMI VIII (Severe) |
| Aftershocks | Yes |
| Casualties | None |
The 1958 Huslia earthquake on April 7 struck an unusual part of Alaska, near the city of Huslia, about 415 km from Fairbanks. The Ms 7.3[1] earthquake is one of two magnitude 7.0 or greater earthquakes recorded north of 65° latitude, the other being the 1933 Baffin Bay earthquake, and is one of the strongest earthquakes within the interior of the state.[2] The earthquake was a result of compression of the crust due to the subduction of the Pacific plate under the North American plate.[3]
The earthquake was unusual for its location because it was situated in a geologically stable part of the North American plate, more than 965 km from the Aleutian subduction zone; the nearest plate boundary. There are no known visible fault traces in the immediate vicinity of the earthquake other than a thrust fault under the Brooks Range and another strike-slip feature known as the Kaltag Fault. The Koyukuk Basin consists of accretion of volcanic arcs from the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. P-wave analysis suggests that the earthquake was a result of thrust faulting at a depth of 6 km.[4] The fault plane solution is either a shallow north-northwest dipping plane or a steep south-southwest dipping plane.[5] The earthquake was followed by two moderate aftershocks on April 8 and 12 respectively.[6][7]