A 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off Alaska’s southern coast on Wednesday, prompting a tsunami warning that was later downgraded to an advisory.
The National Weather Service allowed the advisory, which covered a 700-mile stretch of coastline from southwest of Homer to Unimak Pass, to expire just before 2:45 p.m. local time after confirming no significant tsunami waves or damage.
The quake hit at 12:37 p.m. south of Sand Point, a community of about 600 on Popof Island in the Aleutian chain, according to the Alaska Earthquake Center. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the epicenter was 54 miles south of Sand Point, approximately 600 miles southwest of Anchorage, where the tremor was felt.
Officials took swift action in the affected areas. In Unalaska, a fishing community of 4,100, authorities urged residents in potential inundation zones to move at least 50 feet above sea level or 1 mile inland. In King Cove, with about 870 residents, an alert directed coastal residents to higher ground. Kodiak, a city of 5,200, activated its sirens to signal an evacuation to high ground, although police reported no damage.
“We have seen other earthquakes in the area that have not generated significant tsunami waves, but we’re treating it seriously and going through our procedures, making sure communities are notified so they can activate their evacuation procedures,” Jeremy Zidek, spokesperson for Alaska’s emergency management division, told Live Now Fox.
Minor damage was reported at the Alaska Commercial general store in Sand Point, where manager Vickey McDonald described broken bottles littering the alcohol aisle.
“I’ve got liquid smoke and barbecue sauce and pickles … broken on the floor,” she said, per Live Now. “It smells horrendous in here.”
In Cold Bay, Michael Ashley of Cold Bay Lodge noted the quake’s mild impact.
“It wasn’t very intense,” he said, adding that residents felt safe at 100 feet above sea level, ABC News reported.
The National Weather Service confirmed no tsunami threat to other U.S. and Canadian Pacific coasts, including Washington, Oregon, and California, after analyzing data from tsunami buoys.
Alaska’s southern coast is no stranger to seismic activity. State seismologist Michael West noted this was the fifth earthquake exceeding magnitude 7 in the region since 2020.
“Something’s moving in this area,” he said, per Live Now. “This area has been and remains capable of larger earthquakes and earthquakes capable of significant tsunami damage.”