Magnitude 6.2 aftershock strikes Alaska’s Aleutian Islands

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake was recorded in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands on Sunday, marking one of the strongest aftershocks following the magnitude 7.3 quake that struck the region on Wednesday, according to seismologists.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake occurred at 2:27 p.m. local time, approximately 74 miles south of Sand Point, at a preliminary depth of 33.5 miles beneath the ocean.

No tsunami warnings or advisories were issued by the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center.

The quake is considered an aftershock of Wednesday’s magnitude 7.3 earthquake, which initially triggered a tsunami warning before being downgraded to an advisory and later cancelled. Strong shaking was reported in Sand Point, but officials said no injuries or major damage were reported.

The Aleutian arc is a seismically active region where the Pacific plate subducts beneath the North America plate, generating frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. The eastern Aleutians, where Sunday’s quake occurred, are known for arc-perpendicular convergence that can produce powerful megathrust earthquakes.

According to the USGS, the region has experienced several major earthquakes over magnitude 7.5 since 1900, including the 1946 and 1957 events that triggered widespread tsunamis across the Pacific.

Also on Sunday, a separate magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off the coast of eastern Russia near the Kamchatka Peninsula. That quake prompted a tsunami warning for nearby coastal areas, including the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and led to a brief tsunami watch for Hawaii, Japan, and the Midway Islands before it was lifted.