A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands in southwestern Alaska near Atka.
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands in southwestern Alaska just before midnight local time Saturday night. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake occurred at 11:35 p.m. local time, approximately 61.5 miles southeast of Atka at a depth of about 6 miles. No tsunami threat has been issued following the seismic event. While the earthquake was significant in size, the USGS stated that no one has reported feeling the shaking so far. This is attributed to the distance from the epicenter to the nearest islands. The event occurred along the Pacific Ring of Fire, the most seismically and volcanically active region on the Alaska and Central America. Recent seismic activity in Guatemala and Nicaragua also highlights the ongoing movement of tectonic plates in this region.