Earthquake today: 6.0 magnitude quake strikes near Susitna, Alaska

Earthquake today: A 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck Susitna, Alaska on Thursday, on Thanksgiving day.

The quake struck at 8:11 am about 26 miles southwest of Willow and roughly 37 miles from Anchorage, according to the Alaska Earthquake Center.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the 6.0 magnitude quake at a shallow depth of 42.8 miles (69 km).

So far, there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. However, several residents took to social media platforms to share videos of widespread shaking.

“We have reviewed a magnitude 6.0 event that occurred at 08:11 AM AK time, northwest of Anchorage and at 43 miles depth. This event was felt widely throughout south-central Alaska, and as far as Fairbanks,” said Alaska Earthquake Center.

No tsunami is expected, the National Tsunami Center said.

More than 4,600 residents of Alaska reported feeling shaking, according to the "Did You Feel It" page on the United States Geological Survey (USGS) website.

The strongest earthquakes in Southcentral Alaska are generated by the megathrust fault that marks the contact zone between the subducting Pacific and overriding North American plates.

On average, Alaska experiences half a dozen magnitude 6 or greater earthquakes per year. Coastal Alaska communities also face the additional hazard of tsunamis caused by earthquakes or landslides.

Several residents took to X to inform that they felt the earthquake on Thanksgiving Day.

“Happy Thanksgiving, Alaska! Did we all enjoy the Earthquake. Nothing much. It was a fun ride, about 30 secs. Grateful for strong communities, epic feasts, and the reminder to hug loved ones tighter,” said an X user.

“Fine I’ll get up on my day off,” said another.

“A strong earthquake has shaken Alaska north of Anchorage this morning (time displayed is Pacific time). About half a million people live within a 100 kilometers of the epicentre,” said an X user.

Weather forecast

According to National Weather Service (NWS), Anchorage, “If you’ll be traveling along the Seward and Sterling Highways for the Thanksgiving holiday, use caution and beware of hazardous travel conditions.”

It added that a storm will bring heavy snow, rain, and freezing rain across portions of Kenai Peninsula from tonight through early Friday morning.

“Give yourself extra time for your holiday travel and check road conditions at Alaska 511. The previous graphic has been updated to include the new Advisory in effect for Southern Kenai Peninsula,” said the NWS.