7.0 quake jolts remote Alaska-Canada border region

A strong 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck a remote, mountainous area along the border between Alaska in the United States and Canada’s Yukon territory on Saturday, seismologists reported.

The quake, which occurred at 2041 GMT, was followed by more than 30 aftershocks ranging from magnitude 5.1 to 3.3 over the next three hours, according to the US Geological Survey.

The epicentre was located approximately 248 kilometres west of Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon, and 370 kilometres northwest of Juneau, the capital of Alaska.

In Yakutat, Alaska – the closest community to the epicentre – Police Chief Theo Capes told AFP that no injuries or damage had been reported, despite the tremor lasting an unusually long 15 to 20 seconds.

The US Tsunami Warning System confirmed there was no tsunami threat from the earthquake.