Tsunami warning lifted after 8.2 magnitude earthquake off Alaska peninsula
- Shallow earthquake struck 91km southeast of the Alaskan town of Perryville
- Tsunami warnings were issued for Alaska’s southeast, Hawaii and Guam
Tsunami warnings were lifted for Alaska and the rest of Pacific after a huge earthquake of 8.2 magnitude struck the seismically active US state in the late hours on Wednesday.
In Alaska, small tsunami waves measuring under a foot above tide level were observed in Sand Point, Old Harbor, King Cove, Kodiak, Unalaska and Alitak Bay, according to the US National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC).
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage to property. Several Alaskan coastal communities were evacuated following the quake. Among them was Seward on the Kenai Peninsula, south of Anchorage, where sirens blared and residents were told to move to higher ground.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake, which struck at 10.15pm local time, was at a depth of 35km. It struck about 91km east-southeast of Perryville, about 800km from Anchorage, Alaska’s biggest city.
The U.S. states of California, Oregon and Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia were not expected to see any significant tsunami threats, said Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator with the NTWC.