PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck near the Alaska-Yukon border early Saturday morning, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Residents in Alaska and Yukon, including communities like Haines Junction and Yakutat.

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📍WHEN & WHERE: The earthquake occurred at 1:41 AM local time, approximately 230 miles northwest of Juneau, Alaska, and 155 miles west of Whitehorse, Yukon.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It definitely was felt. There are a lot of people on social media, people felt it.” – Sergeant Calista MacLeod of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

🎯IMPACT: No structural damage or injuries have been reported, though the event caused minor disruptions and rattled residents.

A powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit a remote region near the Alaska-Yukon border early on Saturday morning. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the epicenter was roughly 230 miles northwest of Juneau, Alaska, and 155 miles west of Whitehorse, Yukon. The quake struck at a depth of around six miles and was followed by multiple smaller aftershocks.

Sergeant Calista MacLeod of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Whitehorse said the local detachment received two 911 calls about the event. “It definitely was felt. There are a lot of people on social media, people felt it,” MacLeod stated.

The closest Canadian community, Haines Junction, is located approximately 80 miles from the epicenter and has a population of just over 1,000. Yakutat, Alaska, located approximately 56 miles away, has a population of 662 residents. People in nearby places such as Burwash Landing and Destruction Bay felt the shaking but reported no major issues.

Whitehorse resident Shannon Ryan recalled feeling the earthquake at her home, telling journalists,: “I stopped mid-conversation when things started to shake in the house and we thought, ‘Do we need to leave, run outside? What do we do?’ It lasted a long time. Nothing fell, but glasses were rattling.”

The area has a history of strong earthquakes, including events in 1899, 1979, 2002, and 2017.

Image by James Brooks.

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