7.0 earthquake and aftershocks strike Alaska
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A 7.0 earthquake rocked Anchorage and the rest of south-central Alaska Friday morning, cracking and collapsing roads and highways, damaging buildings, knocking out power and sending people scrambling outside and under furniture. It left many homes a mess.
A number of injuries, at least one serious, were reported in Anchorage and the Matanuskasusitna Borough. A homeowner fighting a fire caused by the earthquake at his home in Houston suffered serious airway burns, Houston fire officials said. Hospitals in Anchorage and Mat-su reported injuries such as lacerations from broken glass. A patient came to Alaska Regional Hospital with a broken arm.
The earthquake’s epicenter was in Matsu Borough, on Point Mackenzie to the north of Joint Base Elmendorfrichardson, according to the Alaska Earthquake Center. It violently shook the most populous region of the state at about 8:30 a.m. local time, just as people were settling in to work and school, but was felt as far as Tok and Valdez.
Seismologists called the quake the most significant in the state’s largest city since 1964, in terms of how strong the ground itself shook.
“What happened in Anchorage was an emotionally disturbing event, a lot of people were very scared,” state seismologist Michael West said.
The quake inflicted serious structural damage on roads and bridges throughout the region. Some roads, especially in the Mat-su, remained impassable Friday afternoon. The Alaska Railroad shut down service until crews can inspect the tracks. Schools in Anchorage and Mat-su were closed until Wednesday so officials can check for damage.
The city of Anchorage declared a civil disaster declaration to access state resources, Mayor Ethan Berkowitz told reporters Friday. He urged residents to remain calm in the aftermath of the quake.
There were several aftershocks, including a sharp jolt felt widely in Anchorage around 10:26 a.m. and another series of aftershocks just before 11 a.m. At least three of them were 5.0 and one measured 5.7. Lighter aftershocks continued to be felt through the afternoon.
The earthquake shook buildings violently, cracking walls, making some store floors a mess, and leaving office desks covered with dust from shaking ceiling tiles. Home chimneys crumbled, garages collapsed, and household items shattered on the floor.
A tsunami warning for south-central Alaska including Kenai, Kodiak and the shores of Cook Inlet was canceled around 10 a.m.
The Glenn and Seward highways in town reopened early Friday afternoon, according to an update from Anchorage police. But detours and delays continue.
There were several reports of serious damage. The Glenn Highway had closed north of Eagle River because of damage, and an onramp at the interchange of International Airport Road and Minnesota Boulevard collapsed.
State transportation officials were fielding reports of damage on all high-priority roads including three major locations on the Glenn Highway, spokeswoman Shannon Mccarthy said late Friday morning. The southbound Eagle River bridge was the area of most concern, Mccarthy said.