Alaska Peninsula : 7.2-Magnitude Earthquake
A powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake recently struck the Alaska Peninsula region.
- Alaska Peninsula is a long, narrow strip of land located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Alaska.
- It extends about 800 kilometres (500 miles) in a southwest direction from the mainland of Alaska.
- It separates the Pacific Ocean from Bristol Bay, an arm of the Bering Sea.
- The peninsula is largely mountainous, with numerous active and dormant volcanoes, rugged coastlines, deep fjords, and vast expanses of wilderness.
- The volcanic Aleutian Range runs along its entire length.
- The Pavlof Volcano, near the peninsula’s southwestern edge, rises to more than 8,260 feet (2,518 metres) and is the most active volcano in the Aleutian volcanic arc.
- It has been inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous peoples, primarily the Aleut and Alutiiq (Sugpiaq) communities.
- It is sparsely populated, with small communities scattered along its coastline.
