Strong Earthquake Shakes Alaska–Canada Border Area; Over 20 Aftershocks Recorded

America: A strong earthquake occurred on Saturday near the border of America's Alaska and Canada's Yukon. Its intensity was 7.0. The good thing is that very few people live in the area where the tremors were felt. Due to this reason, no major damage or loss of life has been reported so far. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter of the earthquake was located about 370 kilometers northwest of Juneau and about 250 kilometers west of Whitehorse, Yukon.

What information did local officials receive?

Sergeant Calista Macleod of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Whitehorse said they received two 911 calls reporting shaking. This region is known for its rugged and mountainous terrain, where the population is very low. Alison Bird, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada, also said that the area around the center was almost empty, so the danger remained limited.

Was there any movement, like items falling in the houses?

Some people said that during the tremors, items fell down from shelves and walls. However, no cracks or major structural damage were seen in any building. The earthquake occurred at a depth of about 10 kilometers and after this several aftershocks were felt.

Was there any danger of a tsunami?

Despite the strong tremors, both the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and the National Weather Service clarified that the West Coast or surrounding coastal areas are not in danger of any tsunami. Therefore, no warning was needed.

How many aftershocks were recorded?

NASA's Earth Observatory says that about 18 major earthquakes of magnitude 7.0–7.9 occur in the world every year. After this earthquake in Alaska, more than 20 aftershocks were felt. Austin Holland, operations director of the Alaska Earthquake Center, said that so far there have been no reports of any injuries or major damage. He said the tremors were felt strongly in both Alaska and Canada, but the area's low population kept the situation under control.