A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck Alaska on Sunday evening, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
At around 11.p.m. local time, the ground in and around the epicenter — underneath the Talkeetna Mountains — began to shake, according to data from the USGS and the Alaska Earthquake Centre. The quake originated about 60 miles east of Talkeetna and 100 miles northeast of Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city. (RELATED: 4.2 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Oklahoma Near Kansas Border)
Below is the intensity map for the M6.1 EQ that occurred just before 11pm tonight, May 31. This shows the intensity of shaking felt around Alaska for this event, based on recordings from our stations around the state. https://t.co/fOCmQ2ixlb pic.twitter.com/7VofzZWiDP
— Alaska Earthquake Center (@AKearthquake) May 31, 2021
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System did not issue a tsunami warning, advisory, watch, or threat related to the Sunday evening earthquake, according to the National Weather Service’s website.
Residents from Homer to Fairbanks could feel the earthquake’s tremors, according to the USGS and reporting from Anchorage Daily News. Those in and around the Mat-Su and Anchorage areas could feel it “especially strong,” according to the outlet.
Tsunami Info Stmt: M5.8 060mi E Talkeetna, Alaska 2300AKDT May 30: Tsunami NOT expected
— NWS Tsunami Alerts (@NWS_NTWC) May 31, 2021
“Talkeetna … long rumble followed by a very strong jolt that flexed the house and sent some stuff on shelves to the floor,” Mark Westman of Talkeetna said, according to Anchorage Daily News.
“Then more rumbling. It was a long one. No damage, but the big jolt in the middle definitely rattled the nerves, that one packed a punch.”
He later said, “It was notable for the duration as well as the big jolt in the middle,” the outlet reported.
Sunday’s earthquake was reportedly the strongest recorded earthquake with an epicenter in the south-central Alaska area since the 7.1 magnitude quake in November 2018.