A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has rocked Alaska on Saturday, Dec. 6, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The earthquake occurred in northeast of Yakutat, Alaska, the USGS said.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Yakutat had a total population of about 657 in 2020 and 332 housing units in 2023. Yakutat is over 300 miles from Anchorage, where the earthquake was also felt, the USGS’s interactive map shows.
What does magnitude mean in an earthquake?
Magnitude is a measurement of the strength of an earthquake. Officially, it’s called the moment magnitude scale. It’s a logarithmic scale, meaning each number is 10 times as strong as the one before it. So a 5.0 earthquake is 10 times stronger than a 4.0.
The magnitude and effect of an earthquake, according to Michigan Technological University:
- Below 2.5: Generally not felt
- 2.5 to 5.4: Minor or no damage
- 5.5 to 6.0: Slight damage to buildings
- 6.1 to 6.9: Serious damage
- 7.0 to 7.9: Major earthquake. Serious damage.
- 8.0 or greater: Massive damage, can destroy communities
