Strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake hits off Alaska: USGS

WASHINGTON: A strong and shallow 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit off Alaska on Friday, US experts said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The quake occurred at 5:35 pm Anchorage time and was located at a depth of 6.2 miles some 45 miles south of Atka, Alaska, according to the US Geological Survey.

Prelim M6.2 earthquake Andreanof Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska Mar-19 01:35 UTC, updates https://t.co/qTczTaLGNj

— USGS Earthquakes (@USGS_Quakes) March 19, 2016

Atka is located in the Aleutian Arc that extends off the southwestern coast of Alaska. The arc marks the area where the Pacific plate descends into the mantle beneath the North American plate.

In January, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Initial reports revealed the quake jolted parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Punjab, with tremors being felt in Chitral, Shangla, Gilgit, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Sahiwal and surrounding areas.



According to The United States Geological Survey, the epicenter of the earthquake was recorded in Jurm district of northeastern Badakhshan province of Afghanistan, and measured 5.6 on the richter scale.