Residents of Anchorage, Alaska, were awakened by a magnitude 6.0 earthquake on Thanksgiving morning, the most powerful seismic event to impact the south-central region since 2021. The earthquake registered at 8:11 a.m. local time, originating 12 kilometers (7 miles) west-northwest of Susitna, a location roughly 108 kilometers (67 miles) from Anchorage. The USGS confirmed the details of the significant tremor.
Fortunately, initial reports suggest minimal damage to infrastructure and no ensuing tsunami threat. The earthquake’s depth of 69 kilometers (43 miles) is believed to have mitigated potential widespread destruction. Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance confirmed through social media channels that municipal inspectors found no major problems with public infrastructure. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System promptly declared that the seismic event would not generate a tsunami.
The timing of the earthquake on a holiday led to a lighthearted ‘Shakesgiving’ moniker on social media. Alaska is situated in a highly seismically active zone, experiencing frequent significant earthquakes, including an average of one magnitude 7 earthquake each year. This latest M6.0 event is the largest since a 6.1 magnitude quake in 2021, reinforcing Alaska’s status as a leading earthquake-prone state globally.