M6.5

M 6.5 - Bering Sea

Strong Earthquake · May 1, 2010 · Bering Sea

Key Insights

•This M6.5 event ranks #66 of 470 earthquakes by magnitude, stronger than 86% of recorded US events.
•At M6.5, this is 0.8 points above the database average of M5.7. Each whole magnitude point represents roughly 32x more energy released.
•At 12.0 km depth, this is classified as a shallow earthquake. Shallow quakes typically cause stronger ground shaking and more damage than deeper events (avg depth: 27 km).
•A USGS significance score of 650 places this among the 265 most impactful events tracked, based on magnitude, felt reports, and damage potential.

Depth

12.0 km

Tsunami

Felt Reports

None

Significance

650

Earthquake Details

Magnitude	M6.5(mwc)
Classification	Strong Earthquake
Location	Bering Sea
Date & Time	May 1, 2010 08:11:43
Coordinates	60.4730N, 177.8770W
Depth	12.0 km (Shallow)
Tsunami	No
Significance Score	650 / 3,000
Status	reviewed

Magnitude Scale Context

Minor

3-3.9

Light

4-4.9

Moderate

5-5.9

Strong

6-6.9

Major

At M6.5, this is classified as a Strong earthquake. Earthquakes of this size can cause severe damage in populated areas within tens of miles of the epicenter.

Official USGS Page: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usp000hc4u

Frequently Asked Questions

How strong was the Bering Sea earthquake?

The Bering Sea earthquake had a magnitude of 6.5 mwc, classified as a "Strong" earthquake on the magnitude scale. Earthquakes of this size can cause serious damage to buildings and infrastructure over a wide area.

Where exactly did this earthquake occur and how deep was it?

This earthquake struck at coordinates 60.4730N, 177.8770W, at a depth of 12.0 km. Shallow earthquakes (under 20 km) tend to cause more surface damage than deeper events.

Did this earthquake trigger a tsunami warning?

No tsunami warning was issued for this earthquake. While the magnitude was significant, the location and depth characteristics did not warrant a tsunami advisory.

How many people felt this earthquake?

No felt reports were submitted to the USGS for this earthquake. This may indicate the earthquake occurred in a remote area with few nearby residents, or the shaking was too minor to be widely noticed.

When did this earthquake happen and how significant was it?

This earthquake occurred on May 1, 2010 at 08:11:43. The USGS assigned it a significance score of 650 out of a possible 3,000, which factors in magnitude, felt reports, and potential impact. This is a moderately significant seismic event.

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Key Insights

•This M6.5 event ranks #66 of 470 earthquakes by magnitude, stronger than 86% of recorded US events.

•At M6.5, this is 0.8 points above the database average of M5.7. Each whole magnitude point represents roughly 32x more energy released.

•At 12.0 km depth, this is classified as a shallow earthquake. Shallow quakes typically cause stronger ground shaking and more damage than deeper events (avg depth: 27 km).

•A USGS significance score of 650 places this among the 265 most impactful events tracked, based on magnitude, felt reports, and damage potential.