Manley Hot Springs, Alaska — Two small earthquakes struck near Manley Hot Springs minutes apart Sunday, prompting monitoring by seismologists.
According to the Alaska Earthquake Center, the first earthquake measured magnitude 3.5 and occurred about 30 kilometers north of Four Mile Road at 8:22 a.m. Alaska time (16:22 UTC). The quake originated at a depth of approximately 6.3 kilometers.
Roughly eight minutes later, a second earthquake measuring magnitude 3.4 was recorded about 14 kilometers southeast of Manley Hot Springs at 8:30 a.m. Alaska time (16:30 UTC). That event occurred deeper underground at about 16.3 kilometers, according to the seismic report.
Both earthquakes were classified as reviewed events by the Alaska Earthquake Center and were mapped within the interior Alaska seismic zone west of Fairbanks. Early community intensity estimates indicated little to no reported shaking, and only a small number of public responses had been submitted through the center’s “Did You Feel It?” reporting system.
Earthquakes in the magnitude 3 range are generally considered minor and rarely cause damage, though they can sometimes be felt near the epicenter depending on depth and local ground conditions.
Interior Alaska experiences frequent low-magnitude seismic activity due to regional fault systems and crustal movement across the central part of the state.
No injuries or infrastructure damage had been reported as of Sunday.
Small earthquakes like these are commonly monitored by researchers to track regional fault behavior and seismic patterns across Alaska’s interior.
For students and commuters in rural Alaska, most quakes of this size pass without disruption but remain important for regional seismic monitoring.
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