Strong quake rattles southern Alaska

A strong earthquake rattled southern Alaska early Sunday morning, causing power outages and evacuations in the area. No injuries were reported so far.

The quake, which occurred at about 1:30 a.m. Alaska time (1030 GMT), was initially assessed as 7.1 in magnitude by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), but later downgraded to 6.8. Two aftershocks, with a magnitude of 4.3 and 4.7 respectively, followed hours later.

The epicenter was some 80 km deep near Cook Inlet, about 260 km southwest of Anchorage, the largest city in the northernmost U.S. state, where some residents were awakened by the shaking of the ground lasting 30 to 45 seconds.

Hours later, a home at the community of Kenai, on the Kenai Peninsula, was on fire due to a gas leak and then another home nearby exploded. Nearly 30 homes were evacuated.

However, authorities received no reports of injuries so far.

Reports said some 4,800 homes were without power in the Kenai Peninsula and a similar situation happened in the Anchorage area.

Red Cross said it has sent a team of staff and volunteers to the Kenai Peninsula to help families of up to 60 members who evacuated their homes. Endi