If you were in Unalaska this weekend, there’s a chance you felt an earthquake. A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck 63 miles southwest of the island on Oct. 5 at 4:50 a.m., followed by many aftershocks. It created a seismic sequence where 10 of the aftershocks measured greater than magnitude 4.
Elisabeth Nadin, a geologist from the Alaska Earthquake Center, said that while these clusters can cause worry that something much bigger is coming, there's currently no way to predict that.
"I would say to just focus on preparedness and make sure that you have the necessary supplies in place," she said. "If and when an earthquake of significant magnitude is destructive in your area happens."
Earthquakes are common in the Aleutian Islands because the region is located where the Pacific plate is moving under the North American plate. Nadin said earthquakes in the area are mainly from the two plates rubbing against each other, rupturing rock where stress builds up creating a shake.
For more information on earthquake preparedness, visit the Alaska Earthquake Center's website.
