noaa

Alaska has earthquakes everyday. The vast majority of them do not register on the Richter scale. Very rarely, such as in 1964, there are major earthquakes that shake cities to their foundations.

An earthquake is the sudden movement of the earth’s crust. Millions of joules of energy are released in the jolt in the form of seismic waves. The waves cause the ground to shake violently causing property damage to structures in the radius of the quake. Earthquakes usually precede volcanic activity which is why there are so many quakes in Alaska. The Aleutian Islands in southwestern Alaska compose a good portion of the Ring of Fire. The Ring of Fire is the most volcanically active region in the world. Some of the largest eruptions in the last decade have taken place there.

Since earthquakes could be an issue, here are some safety tips. If you are inside during an earthquake hide under the nearest table. Tuck your head down and hold onto the leg of the table. If possible, make sure the table is not near any windows to avoid shattering glass. Do not stand in any doorways. If you are outside try to move into an open field away from buildings and power lines. Most importantly, if you are inside, stay there. One of the most dangerous byproducts of earthquakes is falling debris. Most of the deaths and injuries that take place during an earthquake are from people being hit by falling projectiles.

Information regarding Earthquake statistics can be found at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/state/?region=alaska