Powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake jolts Alaska coast, triggers tsunami warning

Alaska:  A powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Alaska, prompting a tsunami warning for parts of the US state’s southern region and the Alaska Peninsula, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

The quake occurred at approximately 12:37 p.m. local time on Wednesday, with its epicentre located about 54 miles (87 kilometres) south of the island town of Sand Point. The USGS stated that the earthquake struck at a relatively shallow depth of 20.1 kilometres, increasing the potential for surface-level impact.

Following the tremor, the National Tsunami Warning Centre (NTWC) in Palmer, Alaska, issued a tsunami warning for South Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula.

“A tsunami has been confirmed and some impacts are expected,” the NTWC said in a statement.

The warning specifically applies to the “South Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula, Pacific coasts from Kennedy Entrance, Alaska (40 miles southwest of Homer) to Unimak Pass, Alaska (80 miles northeast of Unalaska),” the centre said.

The NTWC also clarified that, based on initial data, tsunami warnings had not been issued for regions beyond the affected Alaskan coastline.

Alaska, located along the seismically volatile Pacific Ring of Fire, is no stranger to significant earthquakes.

The region has experienced several large tremors in the past, including the historic 9.2-magnitude earthquake in March 1964 — the most powerful ever recorded in North America.

That disaster devastated Anchorage, triggered a massive tsunami, and caused over 250 deaths as the waves swept across the Gulf of Alaska, the US West Coast, and even reached Hawaii.

More recently, in July 2023, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the Alaskan Peninsula, though no major damage was reported at the time.

Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation closely and urging residents in affected areas to stay alert and follow official safety advisories.

–IANS