Earthquakes in the News (again):

It looks like we may be experiencing yet another phase of increasing earthquakes:



7.1 quake hits off Alaska

Federal officials have issued a tsunami warning for parts of Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and the California-Mexico border after a large 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Alaska Friday morning.



The quake hit about 22 miles underwater near the Fox and Aleutian Islands at around 1:55 a.m. Alaska time.

Dutch reports on Alaska Quake



Downgraded to a 6.8:



Magnitude 6.8 Earthquake Strikes Alaska's Aleutian Islands

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Alaska's Aleutian Islands at 6:55 a.m. EST on Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Friday's earthquake is 10 times bigger and nearly 32 times stronger than the magnitude 5.8 earthquake that struck Mineral, Va., two weeks ago, according to a USGS calculator. That quake, felt along the East Coast, caused mostly minor damage.

A quick look at the Seismic Monitor reveals quakes in some interesting places:



4.7 Utah (U.S.)

6.4 Argentina

4.8 Peru-Ecuador border

4.3 Iran

4.7 Turkmenistan

4.7 Kuril Islands

5.1 Indonesia

4.8 New Guinea

4.7 Sumatera

4.3 Alaska



Utah?



That adds to the previously seen quakes in the U.S. in Virginia and Colorado.



Earthquakes are definitely a "story" right now.



Also see:



Rain-packed Tropical Storm Lee forms off U.S. Gulf



Meanwhile, the East Coast keeps one eye on Katia as it moves eastward towards the U.S. coast.