Tsunami Warning Issued After Monster 7.3 Earthquake
Powerful Alaska Quake Triggers Tsunami Scare
A strong 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off Alaska’s coast Wednesday at 12:38 p.m. local time, prompting a tsunami warning and mass evacuations. The quake’s epicenter was near the Shumagin Islands, southeast of Sand Point.
Sirens and phone alerts urged residents from Homer to Unimak Pass to move to higher ground. “There was a lot of traffic as folks got out of low-lying areas,” said Homer’s mayor, Rachel Lord.
Authorities warned that coastal areas, including the eastern Aleutians, the Alaska Peninsula, and Kodiak Island, could be affected. Water was seen receding from shorelines — a sign of a possible tsunami — and a small one did occur, raising sea levels by about three inches. Officials later said it “no longer poses a threat.”
The tsunami warning was downgraded within 90 minutes and fully canceled by 12:45 p.m. Still, residents were told to “remain cautious for the next 24 hours.”
Aftershocks and Preparedness
More than 20 aftershocks followed, with the strongest at magnitude 5.2. Emergency shelters opened in coastal areas like Kodiak, and towns like King Cove evacuated vulnerable zones.
“Alaska has most of the earthquakes in the U.S.,” said seismologist Michael West, “but we don’t often get ones this strong.”
Broader Impact Minimal
The National Weather Service confirmed that other West Coast states, including Oregon and Washington, were not at risk.
