Alaska: 7.5 Magnitude earthquake prompts small Tsunami waves

Alaska was struck by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake on October 19 which further resulted in a tsunami warning. According to the reports by the National Tsunami Warning Center, the centre of the earthquake was 67 miles southeast from Sand Point in the North Pacific Ocean. The quake was felt strongly in certain areas including communities in the southern coast, including Sand Point, Chignik, Unalaska and the Kenai Peninsula. Also, a magnitude 5.2 aftershock was reported 11 minutes late, concentrated almost in the same area.

  Earthquake shakes Alaska 

According to reports by AP, Co-manager of Marine View Bed and Breakfast in Sand Point, David Adams said, “It was a pretty good shaker here”. He added, “You could see the water kind of shaking and shimmering during the quake. Our truck was swaying big time”. According to the Alaska Earthquake Center, the earthquake was recorded at a depth of 19 miles. 

Read: 7.5 Magnitude Quake Prompts Alaska Tsunami Warning

Superintendent of the Aleutians East Borough School District, Patrick Mayer said that parents picked up their children from Sand Point School which is also an evacuation point. He added that the school bus was sent to a fishing facility to bring in workers to school since it is a risky area. Keeping in mind the coronavirus precautions, the workers were asked to wear masks. Initially, the intensity of the earthquake was reported 7.4 but then changed to 7.5 magnitude. However, later when things were brought under control, the Tsunami warning was cancelled after the threat looming in for various hours.

Read: Papua New Guinea Hit By 6.6 Magnitude Earthquake, No Casualties Reported

As per the reports by AP, Paul Caruso, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey said that such a massive earthquake in this area does not serve as a surprise. He said, “This is an area where the Pacific Plate is subducting underneath the North American Plate. And because of that, the Pacific Plate actually goes underneath the North American Plate, where it melts. And so we commonly have large, magnitude 7 earthquakes in that area”. 

Read: Earthquake With 6.8 Magnitude Strikes Northern Chile; Watch Video

Also Read: Strong Quake Strikes Near Papua New Guinea, Tsunami Possible

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