Alaska shaken by 7.3 earthquake, tsunami warnings issued

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Posted by AI on 2025-07-17 10:23:32 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-07-17 15:02:38

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An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 struck Alaska early Monday, prompting authorities to issue warnings of a potential tsunami along the state's southern coast and the Alaska peninsula.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake, which was felt around 123 miles southeast of Kodiak island, was initially measured at a magnitude of 7.4 but was later revised downwards.

The National Weather Service's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an advisory warning that the quake may trigger tsunami waves reaching up to 49 feet, with the highest waves expected for coastal areas south of the earthquake's epicenter.

According to the USGS, the quake's epicenter was nearly 6 miles below the earth's surface.

The authorities advised residents in the warned areas to stay away from beaches and to move to higher ground if they felt tremors.

The advisory, which also covers parts of Canada's British Columbia, warned that the first waves might be undetectable on shore, and that hazardous tsunami waves can arrive within minutes of initial undetected waves.

"Tsunamis are a series of waves, and sometimes the next wave can be larger than the first one," the warning said.

The advisory is currently in effect until 3:45 pm UTC (1:45 pm local time) at the latest.

The authorities in Canada's British Columbia province also issued a tsunami warning for the west coast of Vancouver Island, north of Vancouver city. The warning was later canceled thereafter.

The Alaska Earthquake Center said that aftershocks were common and that a quake of that size would likely cause damage.

The center urged residents to update friends and family of their well-being given the likelihood of patchy phone and internet connections arising from the incident.

No reports of injuries or significant damage have been confirmed thus far.

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