
<p>Late last night a large earthquake shook the Earth on the west coast of the United States in Alaska. The force was unleashed at 10:16 pm with a preliminary magnitude of 8.2 on the Richter scale, with an epicenter 65 miles from the nearest human population of the small village called Perryville. Although no major damage has been reported so far, this was the largest earthquake in the area <a href="https://earthquake.alaska.edu/largest-earthquake-50-years-what-we-know-so-far">in over 50 years</a>. ;</p>



<p>The earthquake in Alaska initially prompted tsunami warnings and evacuation orders in the area, but have been lifted as of today. The earthquake was also followed by several smaller events, registering at 6.2 and 5.6, as well as at least two dozen other even smaller quakes as the ground continued to shake through the morning. ;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-this-is-only-one-of-17-other-recorded-earthquakes-to-reach-this-magnitude-or-higher-around-the-globe-since-1990">This is only one of 17 other recorded earthquakes to reach this magnitude or higher around the globe since 1990. </h3>



<p>Earthquakes in Alaska are not uncommon, and several more had happened in recent history. In December of 2020, a 6.4 struck in a remote area off southern Alaska. Six months earlier, a 7.8 struck again in an area off shore of Alaska, close to the same region as today. A magnitude 7 hit Anchorage, Alaska in 2018, causing more damage to roads and buildings than the later cases that were centered offshore. Back in 1964, a 9.2 earthquake happened in Alaska, making it the most powerful earthquake to hit North America in recorded history. </p>



<p>The people of Alaska seem generally unalarmed by the event in reports, with earthquakes in the area not coming as a great surprise with the commonality of the events. A school principal Paul Barker told an Anchorage newspaper that, “We’re used to this. This is pretty normal for this area to get these kind of quakes, and when the tsunami sirens go off, it’s just something we do. It’s not something you ever get used to, but it’s part of the job living here and being part of the community.”</p>



<p>Thankfully, despite the size of the earthquake, life seems to have gone on as usual for the people of Perryville and the surrounding areas of Alaska.</p>

Powerful 8.2 Earthquake Hits Alaska
