Checking in with a former Grand Marais resident in Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Back-to-back earthquakes measuring 7.0 and 5.7 rocked buildings and shattered roads Friday morning in Anchorage, sending people running into the streets and briefly triggering a warning to residents in Kodiak to flee to higher ground for fear of a tsunami.

The warning was lifted without incident a short time later. There were no immediate reports of any deaths or serious injuries.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the first and more powerful quake, that hit at 8:30 a.m. local time, was centered about 7 miles north of Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, with a population of about 300,000.

A large section of road near the Anchorage airport collapsed, marooning a car on a narrow island of pavement surrounded by deep chasms in the concrete. Several cars crashed at a major intersection in Wasilla, north of Anchorage, during the shaking.

Anchorage Police Chief Justin Doll said there are reports that parts of the Glenn Highway, a scenic route that runs northeast out of the city, had "completely disappeared."

The quake broke store windows, opened cracks in a two-story building downtown, disrupted electrical service and disabled traffic lights, snarling traffic.

All flights were halted at the airport after the quake knocked out telephones and forced the evacuation of the control tower, and the 800-mile Alaska oil pipeline was shut down while crews were sent to inspect it for damage.

Anchorage's school system canceled classes and asked parents to pick up their children while it examined buildings for gas leaks or other damage.

Alaska’s Municipal Light and Power said there are approximately 7,000 to 10,000 customers without power, and that their crews were responding now.

WTIP checked in with one former Grand Marais resident, Brad Janorschke, who served as the manager of Arrowhead Electric Cooperative. The Janorschke family moved to Alaska, where Brad now works as manager of the Homer Electric Association. 

Rhonda Silence reached Brad Janorschke at his office to find out how things are going there. Here's that interview.