Friday, November 30, 2018

Alaska Quake: Footage And Photos Flood Social Media, Tsunami Warning No Longer In Effect



Footage and Photos of Alaska Earthquake Flood Social Media



Officials issued a declaration of disaster Friday, after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck just outside Anchorage, Alaska.
CNN reports the quake occurred at around 8:30 a.m. local time, about 10 miles north of the city. A series of aftershocks began minutes later, triggering a tsunami warning along the Alaskan coast. Thankfully for residents, the warning has since been canceled; however, the city is still assessing the damage caused by the quake.
"I have been here 37 years and that was the most violent earthquake I have ever felt. It was absolutely terrifying," Kristin Dossett, a resident of Palmer, Alaska, told CNN. "It shook like I have never felt anything shake before. It just didn't stop. It kept going and got louder and louder, and things just fell everywhere—everything off my dressers, off my bookcases, my kitchen cupboard. Just broken glass everywhere."
Videos and photos of the destruction have continued to flood social media. Trees were destroyed, street lamps toppled, buildings cracked, and roads collapsed.







Gov. Bill Walker has issued a disaster declaration in Alaska in response to Friday’s earthquake. 
The Anchorage School District has canceled classes and its buildings will be examined for potential damage and gas leaks, according to the Associated Press. 
Evacuations have taken place throughout the city as stores, buildings and homes have been impacted. Employees working in the air traffic tower at the Anchorage Airport were also evacuated, as the tower is inspected for damage.
Pictures shared on Twitter show widespread power outages already impacting areas. 

For families and individuals impacted by the power outages and destruction, the weather and temperatures in the coming days will be manageable.
"The good news is that bitter cold is not expected," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist David Samuhel said. "Temperatures will actually be a little above normal... Temperatures will stay above normal for at least the next six to 10 days."
However, for the crews handling repairs and cleaning up the destruction left behind by the earthquake, smaller storm systems in the coming days may cause issues.
"While only light rain and snow is expected over the weekend, there will be strong winds," Samuhel said. "The Turnagain Arm, which is just southeast of Anchorage, could see winds of 50-60 miles per hour. Winds in Anchorage could reach 40 miles per hour. A more significant storm could bring a few inches of snow Sunday night into Monday morning."
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski added that the limited sunlight will also hamper recovery efforts.
"The biggest obstacle is short daylight," Sosnowski said. "Crews will have to be using spotlights due to the limited daylight."
Road and bridge damage has also been reported in and around the city.
Earthquake Alaska
A tow truck holds a car that was pulled from on an off-ramp that collapsed during a morning earthquake on Friday, Nov. 30, 2018, in Anchorage, Alaska. The driver was not injured attempting to exit Minnesota Drive at International Airport Road. Back-to-back earthquakes measuring 7.0 and 5.8 rocked buildings and buckled roads Friday morning in Anchorage, prompting people to run from their offices or seek shelter under office desks, while a tsunami warning had some seeking higher ground. (AP Photo/Mike Dinneen)

The United States Geological Survey also released an aftershock forecast, warning Anchorage residents to be prepared for aftershocks and ensuing damage. "According to our forecast, over the next 1 Week there is a 4 % chance of one or more aftershocks that are larger than magnitude 7.0. It is likely that there will be smaller earthquakes over the next 1 Week, with 20 to 2,200 magnitude 3 or higher aftershocks. Magnitude 3 and above are large enough to be felt near the epicenter. The number of aftershocks will drop off over time, but a large aftershock can increase the numbers again, temporarily."
Within the first six hours following the major earthquake, the USGS reported over 60 aftershocks in the area measuring at least 2.5 on the Richter scale. 
The Anchorage Police Department is operational in the city and alerted people that many roads and bridges are closed. They added that there has been major infrastructure damage across Anchorage with damage to many homes and buildings. 



Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)