391 shares
38
View
comments
A powerful 8.2 magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Alaska, triggering a tsunami warning.
The shallow quake hit 56 miles (91 kilometers) southeast of the town of Perryville, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, with a tsunami warning in effect for south Alaska and the Alaskan peninsula.
The US government issued a tsunami warning for Alaska's southeast, while authorities in Hawaii also issued a tsunami watch.
'Hazardous tsunami waves for this earthquake are possible within the next three hours along some coasts,' the US Tsunami Warning System said in a statement.
Perryville is a small village about 500 miles from Anchorage, Alaska's biggest city.
An emergency alert sent to people's phones read: 'The National Weather Service has issued a TSUNAMI WARNING.
'A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact coasts near you. You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now. Keep away from the coast until local officials say it is safe to return.'
Following the quake, authorities in Hawaii announced that they were also investigating whether there is a threat of a tsunami to the state.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said: 'Based on all available data a tsunami may have been generated by this earthquake that could be destructive on coastal areas even far from the epicenter,.'
The estimated earliest arrival time for a potential tsunami wave in Hawaii is 12:53 a.m. on Thursday local time, according to the Star Advertiser.
Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii, is around 2,400 miles (3,800 kilometers) away from Perryville.
Two other earthquakes with preliminary magnitudes of 6.2 and 5.6 occurred in the same area within a half hour of the first one, the U.S. Geological
