Strong quakes hit Alaska, Indonesia
A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.9 struck off the coast of Alaska early yesterday, prompting tsunami warnings or watches as far away as California.
The quake struck at 0931 GMT in the Gulf of Alaska, 280 kilometres southeast of the town of Kodiak, the US Geological Survey said, revising a preliminary estimate of 8.2 magnitude. The epicenter was 10 kilometers under the seabed.
Heather Rand, who was 360 miles away in Anchorage, told CNN it felt like the longest earthquake she had ever experienced.
"It was a very long, slow build up. Creepy, more than anything. Definitely the longest, and I was born here," Rand said, adding the only damage was cracks in the wall.
Later in the day, US Tsunami Warning Center lifted warnings and watches along the US and Canadian Pacific coast, deeming there was no longer a threat following the powerful earthquake off Alaska's coast.
Earlier yesterday, another strong earthquake rattled Indonesia, sparking panic, damaging scores of homes and leaving at least half a dozen students seriously injured.
Office workers in the capital Jakarta rushed outside as high-rises began swaying, while some riders were thrown off their motorbikes by the force of the 6.0 magnitude rumble.
There were no reports of fatalities, but the government said six students were seriously hurt after the roof collapsed at their high school at Cianjur on Java island near the epicentre of the quake. Two other students sustained minor injuries.
The United States Geological Survey said the 6.0 magnitude quake struck at a depth of 43 kilometres.
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