Alaska was hit by a 5.0-magnitude earthquake that impacted two capital cities and left locals' beds and showers shaking
- Southeast Alaska and northern Canada were hit by a 5.0-magnitude earthquake.
- It was the second earthquake to hit the region in the last two days.
- According to the Anchorage Daily News, there was no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The National Tsunami Warning Center also reported there was no risk of a tsunami.
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A 5.0-magnitude earthquake impacted southeast Alaska and northern Canada on Saturday night, marking the second time in just two days the region was affected by one.
The Alaska Earthquake Center, the state's earthquake monitoring agency that's based at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, tweeted the earthquake originated in Glacial Bay National Park at 8:32 pm local time. The agency said it had received reports that those in Juneau, the state capital, and Whitehorse, the capital of Canada's Yukon territory, felt it.
Here's what the earthquake looked like on seismic stations in Southeast Alaska and Canada. Many of these stations were installed as part of the @IRIS_EPO USArray project (the ones with code names beginning "TA"). pic.twitter.com/7pGG0ylQi1
— Alaska Earthquake Center (@AKearthquake) September 1, 2019
The National Tsunamai Warning Center, which is located in Alaska, tweeted out that a tsunami was not expected. According to the Anchorage Daily News, no damage or injuries were immediately reported.
According to UPSeis, an education site on seismology created by Michigan Technological University, a 5- to 5.9-magnitude earthquake is considered moderate. Earthquakes of 2.5- to 5.4-magnitude are "often felt, but only cause minor damage" with an estimated 30,000 a year occurring.
It was the second earthquake to hit the region in the last two days. A 3.8-magnitude earthquake had originated from a nearby location, the Alaska Earthquake Center tweeted. The agency did not respond to a request for additional details in time for publication.
Reviewed magnitude is 5.0. The reviewed location is just a mile and half NW of the automatic location, which puts it right next to the M3.8 from two days ago. We have felt reports from Sitka to Whitehorse. The big red dot is today's M5, the overlapping yellow dot is the M3.8. pic.twitter.com/fKZoqcA6pO
— Alaska Earthquake Center (@AKearthquake) September 1, 2019
Locals in Alaska and Canada took to social media either looking for confirmation that they did indeed feel an earthquake, or reporting how they were impacted.
First earthquake I've felt in Whitehorse in a long time - a M5.2 at 9:32 PM (Yukon time), 43 mi SW of Klukwan, got our glass shower doors rattling.
— Murray Lundberg (@cruiseexplorer) September 1, 2019
Anyone feel an #earthquake in southeast Alaska?#juneau
— John Dalek (@DeckerDalek) September 1, 2019
Anyone else feel the small earthquake around Southeast Alaska? #earthquake
— Cody Moore (@CodyMoore47) September 1, 2019
My bed shook pretty good. First earthquake ever felt. Wild.
— Patrick Sutton (@PatrickSutton) September 1, 2019