Alaska Earthquake Center: magnitude 5.5 quake felt in 2 NW Alaska communities; no damage

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Alaska Earthquake Center says a moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.5 was felt Friday night in the small northwest Alaska communities of Kotzebue and Noatak.

The centre says there have been no reports of damage.

The quake in Alaska’s Brooks Range region was centred about 100 kilometres north of Kotzebue and 30 kilometres northeast of Noatak at a depth of about 16 kilometres miles.

The earthquake centre says a light quake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.3 was felt earlier Friday evening in Noatak.

The centre is a co-operative program of the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska and the U.S. Geological Survey.