Up to date Dec. 6, 2025, 6:29 p.m. ET
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has rocked Alaska on Saturday, Dec. 6, in line with the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The earthquake occurred at 11:41 a.m. native time in northeast of Yakutat, Alaska, the USGS stated.
Based on the U.S. Census Bureau, Yakutat had a complete inhabitants of about 657 in 2020 and 332 housing items in 2023. Yakutat is over 300 miles from Anchorage, the place the earthquake was additionally felt, the USGS’s interactive map exhibits.
NASA’s Earth Observatory stated on common, there are 18 main earthquakes measuring between 7.0 and seven.9. And one nice earthquake that is 8.0 or bigger yearly.
Over 20 aftershocks felt after 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Alaska
Austin Holland, director of operations on the Alaska Earthquake Middle, informed USA TODAY that they haven’t acquired stories of accidents or harm, however he acknowledged that the tremor was “strongly felt” in close by areas of Alaska and Canada. He added that the earthquake originated in a “pretty distant space.”
Based on Holland, it is not “sudden” for earthquakes to happen the place the 7.0 magnitude did as a result of it occurred in an space with giant faults.
Following the 7.0 magnitude temblor, greater than 20 aftershocks, together with some above 5.0, occurred, the Alaska Earthquake Middle stated on Fb.
“Right here we’re 40 minutes after the earthquake, it seems to be producing a reasonably vigorous aftershock sequence,” Michael West, the state seismologist with the Alaska Earthquake Middle, informed KTUU-TV.
“Magnitude 7 is actually sufficient to trigger floor failures,” West informed the TV station. “So, although I’ve no observations but, I wouldn’t be stunned if we heard about roadways or one thing that had been impacted or landslides within the space or something like that. However, once more, we have no idea that right now, however magnitude 7 is the type of earthquake the place we’d start to count on these sorts of impacts.”
Holland stated he expects the aftershocks to “stay fairly quite a few” within the space within the coming days and weeks. He added that there’s a “very small likelihood” that there may very well be a “bigger earthquake” inside the ongoing sequence.
No tsunami warnings or watches have been issued, in line with the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), sharing messages from Nationwide Climate Service workplaces within the area. The Nationwide Tsunami Middle stated on X {that a} “Tsunami NOT anticipated.”
What does magnitude imply in an earthquake?
Magnitude is a measurement of the energy of an earthquake. Formally, it is referred to as the second magnitude scale. It is a logarithmic scale, that means every quantity is 10 occasions as robust because the one earlier than it. So a 5.0 earthquake is 10 occasions stronger than a 4.0.
The magnitude and impact of an earthquake, in line with Michigan Technological College:
- Beneath 2.5: Usually not felt
- 2.5 to five.4: Minor or no harm
- 5.5 to six.0: Slight harm to buildings
- 6.1 to six.9: Severe harm
- 7.0 to 7.9: Main earthquake. Severe harm.
- 8.0 or larger: Huge harm, can destroy communities
Contributing: Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY
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