Powerful 6.0 Quake Jolts Anchorage on Thanksgiving Morning

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck south-central Alaska early Thursday, shaking the foundations of homes and sending early risers scrambling for cover in the state's largest city.The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported the quake hit at 8:11 a.m. local time, with its epicenter about 35 miles northwest of Anchorage near Susitna—close enough to jolt the metropolitan area, home to roughly 300,000 residents, and send tremors rippling as far north as Fairbanks, 245 miles away. At a depth of 43 miles, the event was the strongest to rattle the region near Anchorage since a 6.1 temblor in 2021, evoking uneasy memories of the devastating 7.1 quake that crippled infrastructure here exactly seven years ago on another late-November morning.

No major injuries or widespread structural damage have been reported as of midday, but the quake was potent enough to knock items from shelves, wake families mid-preparations for Thanksgiving feasts, and prompt immediate inspections of roads and bridges by state officials. "It felt like the earth was giving us an unwanted wake-up call right as the turkey was going in the oven," said Anchorage resident Maria Gonzalez, whose coffee mug shattered on the kitchen floor. Social media lit up with similar accounts: dishes clattering in cupboards, dogs barking in panic, and children mistaking the rumble for a dramatic start to the holiday.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities swiftly mobilized crews to survey highways and infrastructure, declaring travel impacts "unlikely" but urging caution via their 511 hotline and online updates. The National Tsunami Warning Center issued no alerts, confirming the inland epicenter posed no coastal threat. Still, seismologists cautioned that aftershocks—some already registering in the 3.0 to 4.0 range—could follow, advising residents to brace for more shakes in the coming days.Alaska, perched atop the seismically volatile "Ring of Fire," endures nearly annual magnitude-7 quakes, making it the most earthquake-prone state in the U.S. This Thanksgiving jolt, initially pegged at 6.2 before a USGS revision, underscores the region's relentless tectonic churn, where the Pacific Plate grinds beneath the North American one. "We're built for this, but it never gets less jarring—especially on a day meant for giving thanks," noted local emergency manager Tom Hale in a midday briefing.