Two major earthquakes in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

The U.S. State of Alaska was hit by two major earthquakes and several aftershocks this Sunday morning. At 6:58 a.m. Sunday a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck an area 42 miles (67 kilometers) east of Kavik River Camp and 343 miles (551 kilometers) northeast of Fairbanks, the state’s second-biggest city. The earthquake had a depth of about 6 miles (9.9 kilometers.

At 7:14 a.m., a magnitude 5.1 earthquake hit another area in northern Alaska. The USGS says the earthquake hit a spot about 340 miles (549 kilometers) northeast of Fairbanks.

It’s an unusual location for an earthquake in Alaska, especially one of that size. The quake was centered in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge about 52 miles southwest of Kaktovik, 85 miles southeast of Deadhorse and Prudhoe Bay and 104 miles north of Arctic Village according to the Alaska Earthquake Center.

The Alaska Earthquake Center reports the quake was felt across the eastern part of the state’s North Slope Borough and as far south as metro Fairbanks.

The location of the quake:

• 67.4 km (41.8 mi) E of Kavik River Camp, Alaska
• 551.8 km (342.1 mi) NNE of College, Alaska
• 553.1 km (342.9 mi) NNE of Fairbanks, Alaska
• 555.8 km (344.6 mi) NNE of Badger, Alaska
• 1104.4 km (684.7 mi) NNW of Whitehorse, Canada

The magnitude 6.5 earthquake was felt by workers at the oil-production facilities in and around Prudhoe Bay, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

There is no known damage or injuries due to the earthquake being in a very remote part of the State.