Strong 7.0-magnitude quake rattles remote Alaska–Yukon border region; No damage reported

Alaska and Yukon were struck by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake near Yakutat, with aftershocks but no major damage or tsunami threat reported.

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A powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck a remote, mountainous stretch along the border of Alaska, USA, and Canada’s Yukon territory on Saturday, according to seismologists. The quake, recorded at 2041 GMT, hit a sparsely populated area but was strong enough to be felt across a wide region.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the epicentre was located about 250 km west of Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon, and roughly 370 km northwest of Juneau, the capital of Alaska. It was also about 91 km from

Yakutat, Alaska, a community of around 660 people.

The quake struck at a depth of around 10 km, followed by more than 30 aftershocks within the next three hours, ranging between magnitudes 5.1 and 3.3, the USGS added.

In Yakutat, which lies closest to the epicentre, police chief Theo Capes told AFP that no injuries or damage had been reported, noting that the shaking “lasted surprisingly long, 15 to 20 seconds.”

The US Tsunami Warning System confirmed no tsunami threat following the quake.

Authorities on both sides of the border continue to monitor the area as aftershocks persist, though no major impact has been reported so far.