7.5-magnitude quake hits off Alaska

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- A 7.5-magnitude earthquake jolted the northeastern Pacific Ocean off the coast of the U.S. state of Alaska early Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The temblor, whose magnitude was initially placed at 7.7, occurred at 0858 GMT, with its epicenter located 106 km west of Craig, Alaska, at a depth of 9.9 km, according to the USGS.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) issued a regional warning for the coast near the epicenter, but predicted no widespread threat of a tsunami for the time being.

Last October, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Canada's Queen Charlotte Islands, not far from the epicenter of the latest one. The PTWC issued a warning, but the resulting tsunami, which did reach Hawaiian shores, was below dangerous levels.

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