6.2 earthquake rattles Aleutian island; no volcanic activity detected

Updated: January 24, 2020 Published: January 23, 2020

Craters atop Takawangha's summit, looking west. The volcano Takawangha is 4,754 feet high and is located on northern Tanaga Island. (Photo by M. L. Coombs / courtesy of AVO and U.S. Geological Survcey)

A large, shallow earthquake rattled a remote Aleutian island Wednesday night but Alaska volcano observers said they found no indication that the seismic activity had implications for nearby volcanoes.

The magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit at 8:53 p.m. north of Tanaga Island, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The epicenter was 8.7 miles east of Takawangha Volcano and 13.7 miles east of Tanaga Volcano. The earthquake was 6.2 miles deep, the USGS National Earthquake Information Center said an in announcement.

Tanaga Island is 62 miles west of the community of Adak and 1,260 miles southwest of Anchorage.

This also isn't the first time there has been a large earthquake here- 2008 had similar events in this region. 2/3
— Alaska Earthquake Center (@AKearthquake) January 24, 2020

The big quake was preceded by a series of magnitude 2-3 earthquakes earlier Wednesday. Numerous aftershocks were recorded afterward, the earthquake information center said.

The last known eruption of Tanaga occurred in 1914. Earlier eruptions were reported in 1763-1770, 1791 and 1829, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory website. Tanaga, Takawhagha and a third volcano, Sajaka, are part of the same volcanic complex.