Alaska: The Alaska Earthquake Center recorded approximately 850 earthquakes statewide over the past week, including a magnitude 6.1 earthquake in the Aleutian Islands on February 22.
The magnitude 6.1 event struck roughly halfway between Unalaska and Atka and was the strongest earthquake recorded during the reporting period. Within the first 24 hours after the main shock, scientists detected 85 aftershocks. Overall, three earthquakes were reported as felt by residents during the week.
Seismologists say aftershock activity following a large earthquake typically follows a predictable pattern. The number and size of aftershocks depend largely on the strength of the initial quake and the geological characteristics of the area.
For a magnitude 6 earthquake, experts generally expect one or two aftershocks measuring magnitude 5 or greater within the first day, along with roughly 10 to 20 aftershocks in the magnitude 4 range. According to the Earthquake Center, Sunday night’s event followed this expected pattern.
Officials anticipate that aftershock activity will continue to decline in both frequency and strength over the coming weeks and months.
Residents can track individual earthquakes and clusters using the interactive map available on the Alaska Earthquake Center’s website at earthquake.alaska.edu. Additional information about aftershock behavior is available through archived “What’s Shaking Alaska?” episodes under the Resources section of the site.
