A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7 struck in a remote area near the border between Alaska and the Canadian territory of Yukon yesterday. There was no tsunami warning or any immediate reports of damage.
The US Geological Survey said the tremor struck about 370 kilometres northwest of Juneau, Alaska, and 250 kilometres west of Whitehorse, Yukon.
It was also about 91 kilometres from Yakutat, Alaska, which the USGS said has a population of 662. The quake struck at a depth of about 10 kilometres. There were several smaller aftershocks.
Authorities have reported no immediate incidents of injuries or major damage, as reported by The Associated Press. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake hit about 230 miles (370) km northwest of Juneau in Alaska and around 115 miles (250 km) west of Whitehorse in Yokon.
The quake originated at a shallow depth of about 10 km, a factor that makes tremors feel stronger at the surface. The main shock was followed by multiple smaller aftershocks.
Seismologist Alison Bird of Natural Resources Canada told the Associated Press that the most affected areas lie in mountainous, sparsely populated regions. “Most reports involved objects falling off shelves and walls”, she mentioned that no major structural damage has been confirmed till now.