Magnitude 5.9 earthquake strikes south-central Alaska

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Written by Tess Williams

Updated: 4 minutes ago Posted: 55 minutes ago

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake with an epicenter in Lake Clark National Park occurred at 1:42 p.m. Alaska time on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 (screenshot from the US Geological Survey website)

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck south-central Alaska on Tuesday afternoon.

The epicenter was near Illiamna volcano, 138 miles southwest of Anchorage, according to the US Geological Survey. The US Geological Survey said the quake occurred at a depth of 98.4 miles and shook the area at 1:42 pm.

The earthquake, which occurred across Cook Inlet from the Kenai Peninsula, was widely felt across much of the state, with reports coming in from as far away as Fairbanks, Kodiak and Valdez.

No immediate damage was reported in the aftermath of the quake, said seismologist Leah Jardine of the Alaska Seismological Center.

“That was on the deeper side,” she said. “If it were more shallow, it certainly would have been[causing damage]but it is not uncommon that those of this size, at this depth, do not cause any significant damage.”

Jardine said the quake did not immediately appear to be a follow-up. Its epicenter was near where a 7.1-magnitude earthquake occurred in 2016, but Jardine said the quakes appeared to be separated enough that Tuesday’s quake was unlikely to have been an aftershock. The 2016 earthquake destroyed many homes on the Kenai Peninsula and damaged roads.

Jardine said aftershocks from the smaller quake will occur in the coming days and weeks.

“There will be aftershocks,” she said. “But on average, it tends to be about a unit volume less than the main shock. Again, this is average and they could be the same size or very close to it. … It is certainly possible in the coming days into the week that there will be 4 degrees to be felt.”

The National Tsunami Warning Center said no tsunami waves were expected in the wake of Tuesday’s earthquake.

Check again for updates.

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