Shaking felt in Whitehorse after earthquake strikes near the Yukon-Alaska border
CBC
A moderate earthquake struck in the Kluane National Park area on Saturday afternoon.
Earthquakes Canada registered a 7.0 magnitude earthquake near the Alaska-Yukon border that was five kilometres in depth.
Ground shaking was more mild 250 kilometres away in Whitehorse, where the U.S Geological Survey reported the earthquake registered at a magnitude of 5.3. The quake occurred around 1:41 p.m. and aftershocks continued for several minutes after.
Whitehorse RCMP and the fire department say no injuries or building damage have been reported at this time. In a social media post, a Yukon Energy spokesperson said staff will be checking facilities over the next few hours.
While RCMP was unable to confirm the conditions in Haines Junction, Burwash Landing and Destruction Bay, residents told CBC they weren't aware of any serious fallout as a result of the earthquake.
"There was mild shaking that lasted 5-6 minutes," said Ramandeep Kaur, who works at the Talbot Arm Motel in Destruction Bay. "No injuries in our building."
"I was working at my computer and suddenly it was moving – I thought a truck is coming from the parking lot but it was getting stronger and stronger," said Jane Mendoza, manager of the Top Spot convenience store in Haines Junction. "I went out and saw all the shelves moving and that was a little bit scary."
Mendoza says nothing fell off shelves or broke.
In a social media post, Yukon Highways and Public Works shared the South Klondike Highway will be closed starting at 5 pm from kilometre 24 to kilometre 106 and remain closed overnight due to increased avalanche conditions. The road will be reassessed in the morning and up to date details will be shared online.
Shannon Ryan was at home in Whitehorse when she felt the shaking.
"I stopped mid-conversation when things started to shake in the house and we thought, do we need to leave, run outside? What do we do?" she said. "It lasted a long time. Nothing fell, but glasses were rattling."
Ryan said there was no damage.
Edwin Nissen, a professor of earth and ocean sciences at the University of Victoria, says earthquakes have been recorded in the same area in 1899, 1979, 2002 and 2017.
"I don't think that today's earthquake was unexpected, although of course it's impossible to predict exactly when any earthquake occurs so it always takes us seismologists somewhat by surprise," he said.
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