7.1 Alaska quake causes damage, gas leak

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A 7.1-magnitude earthquake knocked items off shelves and walls Sunday in south-central Alaska and jolted the nerves of residents in the earthquake-prone region.

Four homes were destroyed in natural gas explosions or fires and an entire neighborhood was evacuated after a gas leak was reported, said Kenai Fire Department battalion chief Tony Prior

The earthquake struck about 1:30 a.m. and was centered 53 miles west of Anchor Point in the Kenai Peninsula, which is about 160 miles southwest of Anchorage, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

There were reports of scattered power failures from the Matanuska Electric Association and Chugach Electric in the Anchorage area.