Tsunami alert issued after earthquake in Alaska
Americans warned of possible tsunami down the Canadian and US west coast following the magnitude 8.2 earthquake that hit the Gulf of Alaska in the early hours.
A magnitude 8.2 earthquake hit the Gulf of Alaska in the early hours of Tuesday, prompting warnings of a possible tsunami down the Canadian and US west coast.
Local radio on the Alaskan island of Kodiak, close to the epicenter, urged listeners to move away from coastal areas.
“This is a tsunami warning. this is not a drill. Please get out to higher ground,” said the announcer on KMXT public radio. “If you are on the flats, get up on one of the hills … Just go high.”
Hawaii, which was earlier said to be at risk, is no longer considering the tsunami watch, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.
“Based on all available data there is no tsunami threat to the state of Hawaii. Therefore … the tsunami watch for Hawaii is now canceled,” it said.
A look at the Tsunami Travel Times after an 8.3 quake struck off the coast of Alaska at 4am our time pic.twitter.com/FLGLGL1UHE
— Phil Amato (@PhilAmatoANjax) January 23, 2018
No reports of casualties
There were no immediate reports of damage or injury.
The quake hit around 250 km southeast of Chiniak, Alaska at a depth of 25 km at 0931 GMT, the US Geological Survey said.
“If you are located in this coastal area, move inland to higher ground. Tsunami warnings mean that a tsunami with significant inundation is possible or is already occurring,” the Anchorage Office of Emergency Management said in a warning for Alaska and British Columbia.
It is now 2am in Alaska. #Kodiak should have been hit 15 mins ago. So far no reports of a Tsunami. Here are possible arrival times for rest of Alaska coast pic.twitter.com/gaUAZk3m0r
— Bill Karins (@BillKarins) January 23, 2018
