On January 5, 2013, at 08:58 UTC (current local time), an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 shook the sea depths off the west shoreline of southeastern Alaska. It’s the second largest earthquake on the Queen Charlotte fault (QCF) in 40 yrs,off the coast of Alaska 113km west of Craig, a town on Prince of Wales Island. Forewarning was seen from numerous miles away of Alaskan and Canadian coastline, yet the caution was drop when no dangerous waves/shakes were made. The 7.5 magnitude shake and tsunami brought cautioning, that took after concern in some beachfront bunches, with alerts sounding and people dashing to higher ground for security. In any case, the Alaska Tsunami Warning Centre later said the waves were too little to press any danger, coming to just six inches above normal sea level in spots, for instance, Sitka and Port Alexander.The earthquake was trailed by six aftershocks as large as M5.1,and came almost four hours after the first shake. Houses shook and things were moved around, yet there were no injuries or deaths reported. Due to the earthquake being out in the middle of the ocean, but it had the potential to cause a tsunami so the Alaska Tsunami Warning Centre put out a warning. No wide spread devastating tsunami was generated by this event. Measured wave heights in southeast Alaska communities were under 0.0254m high. The shiver was followed by a couple deferred repercussions, including a 5.2 tremor felt in southeastern Alaska and British Columbia.This earthquake was felt widely in southeast Alaska and British Columbia, and as far as Seattle, Washington. Maximum intensity of shaking, was at a level of moderate and several larger aftershocks were also felt. Alaska Tsunami Warning Center said a “significant widespread inundation of land” was expected, but that has apparently not happened.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre sent out a warning the bottom line of the warning was:
A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the southeast shoreline of Alaska on the night of January 4-5, 2013. The Alaska Tsunami Warning Centre issued a neighbourhood cautioning and expected some flooding, yet it has now pulled back that notice. No Pacific-wide tsunami was expected, despite the fact that Hawaii may encounter little non-dangerous ocean level changes or irregular currents enduring up to a few hours.
Witnesses of The Earthquake:
“We are from Prince Rupert but are in Smithers BC on some business we are staying at the Aspen motor Inn on the second floor. We felt the the wooden structure actually shake it felt like a washing machine feeling steady shaking and a slight sway we phoned down to desk which is several hundred feet away and she said there is no laundry near you and that it was an earthquake she was on line reading about it, she said she felt it strongly.