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9/2/11 (AEIN) A moderately strong earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands early Friday, triggering fears of a tsunami. The late night quake occurred approximately 107 miles east of Atka or 45 miles southeast of Amukta Pass. There were no initial reports of damage on the islands.
The earthquake measured 7.1 on the Richter scale and had a depth of 35 kilometers (almost 22 miles), according to a report from the U.S. Geological Survey. It was stronger than the quake which hit the town of Mineral, Virginia and surrounding areas in late August.
Although authorities reported that the quake did not threaten to create an ocean-wide tsunami, the government did issue a tsunami warning for parts of the Alaskan coast. Residents were warned to leave low-lying areas and beaches. The warning was later canceled.