Earthquake of magnitude 6.9 hits off Alaska

Washington: A magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit on Friday off Alaska's Aleutian Islands, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The epicentre of the event, although strong and shallow, at a depth of 4.3 km, was in the Bering Sea about 205 km northwest of Attu Station, in the Aleutians West Census Area, Xinhua reported.

As the island had a population of 21, consisting entirely of coast guard personnel, according to the 2010 US census, the USGS estimated both potential fatalities and economic losses to be unlikely.