A strong earthquake struck off the southern coast of Alaska on Wednesday, prompting heightened alert and evacuation orders for communities along a 700-mile stretch of coastline.
The 7.3 magnitude quake occurred at 12:37 p.m. local time, south of Sand Point, a small community located on Popof Island within the Aleutian chain.
Despite the severity of the quake, the National Tsunami Warning Center quickly downgraded its initial tsunami warning and later canceled it entirely.
Jeremy Zidek, a spokesperson from Alaska’s emergency management, emphasized the importance of treating such events seriously, noting that although previous earthquakes in the area have not produced significant tsunami waves, emergency protocols were enacted to ensure community safety.
Residents felt the earthquake even as far as Anchorage, nearly 600 miles to the northeast.
The tsunami warning had originally covered an area extending from approximately 40 miles southwest of Homer to Unimak Pass.
Kodiak, with a population of around 5,200, is one of the larger communities in this region, which was closely monitored after the quake.
However, the highest wave generated from the earthquake recorded in Sand Point was under 2.5 inches above the tide, which reduced concerns about potential tsunami threats.
Sand Point Police Chief Benjamin Allen reported that there was no significant damage in the area, stating, “There’s no damage at the airport, doesn’t appear to be any damage at the harbor, no damage to speak of, really.”
Minimal damage was reported, primarily affecting the Alaska Commercial general store where the manager, Vickey McDonald, described a scene of broken bottles and spilled products, saying, “I’ve got liquid smoke and barbecue sauce and pickles … broken on the floor.
It smells horrendous in here.
In addition to Sand Point, residents in other communities like Unalaska were urged to move to higher ground, especially those in low-lying areas at risk of inundation.
Unalaska, home to about 4,100 people, alerted residents to evacuate at least 50 feet above sea level or one mile inland.
Similarly, officials in King Cove, which has a population close to 870, called on residents living in coastal areas to seek higher ground.
Tourists visiting the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward had to quickly mobilize after hearing the evacuation alerts.
Jodie Stevens and her husband, Aaron Park, were in the midst of observing puffins when officials instructed them to evacuate due to the earthquake.
They moved uphill in the rain, following the guidance of staff who were directing people toward safety.
Just as they were making their way to the designated high ground, a siren indicated that the threat had dissipated.
The National Weather Service subsequently confirmed on social media that no tsunami threats extended to other Pacific coasts in North America, which include regions like Washington, Oregon, and California.
Alaska’s southern coast is known to be earthquake-prone, and this quake marked the fifth significant earthquake of magnitude 7 or greater in the area since 2020.
State seismologist Michael West highlighted that the region has been experiencing increased seismic activity, stating, “I would not call this an isolated earthquake.
It appears to be part of a larger sequence spanning the last several years.”
This ongoing seismic activity has drawn attention from scientists and seismologists who remain vigilant, as they believe the region is still capable of producing larger earthquakes that could result in significant tsunami impacts.
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