BREAKING: Major Earthquake Causes Significant Destruction Near Anchorage, Alaska; Aftershocks Expected to Continue for Days
InstantWeather
At 8:30 a.m. Alaskan Standard Time (AST), an earthquake hit nearby Anchorage, Alaska with an estimated magnitude of 7.0 according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The unexpected quake triggered several tsunami warnings by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration along the coastal areas of Alaska’s Cook Inlet and southern Kenai Peninsula.
Further analysis from the U.S. Geological Survey determined the epicentre to be approximately 12 kilometers north of Alaska’s largest city. Initial reports from the Anchorage Police Department determined the city had received ‘major infrastructure damage’. Anchorage is the largest city within the state, with an estimated population of more than 294,000 people. There have also been reports of multiple, strong aftershocks in the city hitting as high as a 5.8 magnitude.
According to the Tsunami Warning Centre, the main concern following any earthquake along this coast is tsunamis. As of 11:30 a.m. AST., residents have dodged any catastrophic damage, as warnings for Kodiak, Seward and Homer have since been cancelled.
As images start to trickle in from the region, it is clear the highways were no match to this powerful quake as there were reports of roads crumbling apart to pieces. The main concern from police at this time is to ensure residents are not entering into unsafe properties. There are widespread reports of infrastructure damage to buildings, crumbling roads and rock slides. The situation will not see improvement as aftershocks are expected to continue over several days.
According to https://www.ready.gov/earthquakes if you are ever in a situation where find yourself in an earthquake, follows these life saving tips.
Drop, Cover, then Hold On. Drop to your hands and knees. Cover your head and neck with your arms. Hold on to any sturdy furniture until the shaking stops. Crawl only if you can reach better cover without going through an area with more debris. If in bed, stay there and cover your head and neck with a pillow. If inside, stay there until the shaking stops. DO NOT run outside. If in a vehicle, stop in a clear area that is away from buildings, trees, overpasses, underpasses, or utility wires. If you are in a high-rise building, expect fire alarms and sprinklers to go off. Do not use elevators. If near slopes, cliffs, or mountains, be alert for falling rocks and landslides.
Suzanne P.
References: https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/30/us/alaska-earthquake/index.html
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2018/11/30/tsunami-warning-alaska-earthquake/
https://globalnews.ca/news/4715739/alaska-earthquake-anchorage-tsunami-warning/ https://earthquake.alaska.edu/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2018/11/30/major-damage-tsunami-warning-issued-after-severe-magnitude-earthquake-alaska/? utm_term=.8166ded5c734