Heavy earthquake on the shores of Adak, an Andreanof Island (Alaska – USA)

Adak settlement 45 km from the epicenter - Image via Wikipedia

Earthquake Report comment :
The earthquake struck at approx. 2 AM in the morning.
With a depth of 51 km, the impact will be a strong shaking in the vicinity of the epicenter.
Adak island is one of the most remote localities in the USA.
Adak, the capital of the Andreanof Islands had a population of 316 during the latest census.
Adak is located at the other side of Adak Island at a distance of 45 km from the epicenter.
There are no radio stations in Adak and no stations even 200 mi away. The only radio stations that can be received in Adak are through satellite or shortwave receivers.
In a radius of 200 km around the epicenter, only small settlements can be found.
This area of our planet has numerous moderate earthquakes. The current earthquake is however a major one, and occurred  almost under the island.
It is too early to report on damage or injuries. We will keep you updated.
GDACS issued a GREEN earthquake report = limited chance on damage or injuries

NOAA Tsunami bulletin :
A strong earthquake has occurred, but a tsunami IS NOT expected along the California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, or Alaska coast. NO tsunami warning, watch or advisory is in effect for these areas.

Update 16:32 UTC : No reports of any damage or injured people in Adak

Adak, Andreanof Islands September 3 2010, earthquake seismogram

Adak Airport, formerly Naval Air Station Adak, is a state-owned, public-use airport located west of Adak, on Adak Island in the U.S. state of Alaska.[1] The airport is the farthest west for the entire United States
Adak’s airport is one of the largest and most sophisticated airports in the Aleutian Islands. Built by the U.S. Navy  for Naval air transport, the airport is a world-class facility consisting of a 7,800-foot (2,400 m) runway and a 7,600-foot (2,300 m) runway, equipped with an Instrument Landing System and glideslope which facilitate Instrument Flight Rules landings. Adak currently has scheduled jet service provided by Alaska Airlines.

The Andreanof Islands are a group of islands in the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska. They are located between Amchitka Pass and the Rat Islands group to the west, and Amukta Pass and the Islands of Four Mountains group to the east. The islands extend about 275 miles (440 km). The total land area of all islands (including the Delarof Islands) is 1,515.349 sq mi (3,924.737 km²).
The total population was 412 persons as of the 2000 census, the vast majority in the city of Adak on Adak Island.
(Some text Wikipedia)

Most important Earthquake Data:
Friday, September 03, 2010 at 02:16:08 AM at epicenter
Magnitude : Mw 6.3
Depth (Hypocenter) : 51 km
Geo-location(s) :
45 km (28 miles) ESE (104°) from Adak, AK
131 km (82 miles) WSW (250°) from Atka, AK

Links to important maps
USGS Did You Feel It Map
Google satellite map of the area showing the kind of terrain the earthquake took place
USGS Shaking map
USGS historic earthquakes map
GDACS Green Earthquake Alert (Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System)

* GDACS (Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System) provides near real-time alerts about natural disasters around the world.  GDACS is a Joint Initiative of the United Nations and the European Commission

QuakeSOS is a FREE  iPhone application developed by Armand Vervaeck, the creator and main contributor to Earthquake Report.  The Application simplifies immediate group communication to friends and family members (with your exact GPS location) and is constantly feeding the users with “Earthquake Report” news. Together with your own family and friends, QuakeSOS will be your closest earthquake friend.