ANCHORAGE, Alaska, June 22, 2009
Strong Earthquake Felt In Alaska
No Immediate Reports Of Damage After Quake Strikes Near Anchorage
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(CBS/iStockphoto)
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Interactive Ground Shakers Learn about what triggers an earthquake and get details on some of the world's worst.
The U.S. Geological Survey said an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 struck about 24 miles from the town of Willow at 11:28 a.m. The epicenter was 58 miles from the state's largest city, Anchorage, where the rumbling continued for several moments.
"Things were swinging pretty good and shaking, like pictures on the wall, bottles rattling - and my blood pressure went up at least 20 points," said Pam Rannals, a bartender in Talkeetna, about 30 miles from the epicenter. "We had bears in the parking lot last night and now the earthquake. Those are the talk of the town."
She said she hadn't heard of any damage and even the liquor bottles stayed put. There also were no immediate reports of damage or injury anywhere else, but the shaking was felt over a wide swath of southcentral Alaska, the most populated region of the vast state.
Sgt. Charlie Seidl of the police department in nearby Houston, Alaska told CBS News it felt like a typical earthquake that they get sometimes in the area.
The West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center reported the magnitude at a slightly weaker 5.3 and said no tsunami was generated. The USGS had reported a preliminary magnitude of 5.7.
Aftershocks were shaking the area, with one about a half-hour later measuring 4.0.
Alaska is seismically active, and has frequent earthquakes. The last one that measured stronger was a 5.8 in southern Alaska on Jan. 24.
© MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Add a Comment See all 14 Comments
- Breaking News: It has been reported that Gov. Sarah Palin and her family are safe after the 5.7 magnitude quake.
However early reports indicate Daughter Bristol Palin somehow became Knocked Up during the family huddle in the doorway of the governors mansion - Reply to this comment
- Oh, sure! It happened in,"Willow", alaska?
How DARE you speak about the Gov.'s 14 year old daughter! "earthquake", is that some sort of euphemism for,"rape"?
CLOSE THIS WEBSITE DOWN, CALL THE MILITIA TO ARMS!!! - Reply to this comment
- We get energy as oil from the Alaska pipeline. The earthquakes just shake the tectonic plates to provide the virtual illusion of a giant windmill. Expect more, and greater as more oil is used. Its natures way of telling you. What's a Palin?
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- Gee whizz, people get a life. What do you all have for a brain? Was your childhood so awful you don't know how to make an informed commentary? I wonder what any of you has accomplished, if anything. Your written language reads you have done very, very little. Stop picking your noses, grow up and learn at least to write intelligebly.
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- It's Dave's fault.
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- You guys going to blame that on Sarah Palin as well. It was near a town of Willow. I guess God is really mad at her? Not. Maybe he telling the rest of us to lay off her? Maybe. Anyway, if anybody in Alaska is anxious to trade their home their for my in Florida, let me know.
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- Nah, no quake! Palin finally coped a squat and took a POO.....I've always thought she was full of Shih Tzu...
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- Let's hope and pray that this isn't early signs of a more devastating earthquake event. I'm sure if that happens, all of the sick left-wingers will be doing their hyena jackal happy dance at the prospect of destruction, death and injury in Alaska just because Governor Palin and her family live there.
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- I love how when we have an earthquake up here it is SO over dramatised! It wasn't that bad, and being in Wasilla I'm really close to Willow where the epicenter was. Also just so you know Mcintoshlou, Palin didn't SEE it from her house or from anywhere. Why? Because you FEEL earthquakes! Have a great day :)
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- I BET THAT THAT EVANGELICAL BROOD MARE, PALIN, SAW IT FROM HER HOUSE.
CAN YOU IMAGINE IF SHE HAD ACTUALLY JOINED WITH MCSAME AND THE
BUSH CHENEY CRIME FAMILY, WOW!
THANK YOUR GODS THAT WE ARE FINALLY RID OF THE GREED DRIVEN CONSERVATIVES
REPUBLI'CON's ARE FASCISTS - Reply to this comment
- Hey! I came here to read stupid Palin comments. What's the deal?
- Reply to this comment
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