A magnitude 6.7 earthquake rumbled off the coast of Alaska last night, prompting many to fear a Pacific-wide tsunami, but all worries were quickly called off when it was determined not to be any threat.

The quake hit off the coast of the distant Aleutian Islands at 9:56 pm local time, where it was felt in nearby Unalaska and Dutch Harbor, the nearest population centers, some 155 miles away. While the quake was too isolated to provide much of a threat to any Alaskan communities, the sheer size of the event worried many tsunami experts, well aware of the region's role in spawning catastrophic tsunamis throughout the Pacific.

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 Are you prepared for an earthquake or tsunami in your community?   Read my "Preparing for an Earthquake" to get a primer on how to protect yourself should an earthquake strike your community.