An earthquake of seven.3 magnitude struck off the coast of Alaska at roughly 12:37 p.m. native time on Wednesday, IANS reported, quoting the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The earthquake’s epicentre was positioned about 54 miles (87 kilometres) south of the island city of Sand Level.
Following the tremor, the Nationwide Tsunami Warning Centre (NTWC) in Palmer, Alaska, issued a tsunami warning for South Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula.
“A tsunami has been confirmed and a few impacts are anticipated,” the NTWC stated in a press release.
The warning particularly applies to the “South Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula, Pacific coasts from Kennedy Entrance, Alaska (40 miles southwest of Homer) to Unimak Move, Alaska (80 miles northeast of Unalaska),” the centre stated.
The NTWC additionally clarified that, primarily based on preliminary knowledge, tsunami warnings had not been issued for areas past the affected Alaskan shoreline.
Alaska, positioned alongside the seismically unstable Pacific Ring of Hearth, is not any stranger to important earthquakes.
The area has skilled a number of massive tremors prior to now, together with the historic 9.2-magnitude earthquake in March 1964 — essentially the most highly effective ever recorded in North America.
That catastrophe devastated Anchorage, triggered an enormous tsunami, and induced over 250 deaths because the waves swept throughout the Gulf of Alaska, the US West Coast, and even reached Hawaii.
Extra just lately, in July 2023, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the Alaskan Peninsula, although no main harm was reported on the time.
Authorities are persevering with to observe the scenario carefully and urging residents in affected areas to remain alert and observe official security advisories.
(With IANS Inputs)