Its magnitude is 7.2 at a depth of 33 kilometers
Alaska earthquake – Tsunami warning lifted
7/16/2023 2:31 PM
Alaska is located on the Pacific Ring. Several tectonic plates collide there. Earthquakes are not uncommon. At night it’s that time again. Authorities warn of a tsunami. But Quake did not hurt at first.
Authorities have temporarily issued a tsunami warning after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Alaska. According to the USGS, the quake occurred at 10:48 p.m. (local time, Sunday, 8:48 a.m. CET) about 98 kilometers southwest of the town of Sand Point on Popov Island south of mainland Alaska. The epicenter was at a depth of 33 km in the sea.
The United States Tsunami Warning Center initially issued an urgent tsunami warning, but later downgraded that warning. There were initially no reports of serious damage or injuries. The agency responsible for emergency management in the US state of Hawaii, EMA, said shortly after the tsunami disaster, warning that there was no danger to the islands. Regional television station KTUU-TV reported that there were an estimated eight aftershocks just three minutes after the first quake.
Sirens sounded in the communities, according to a local radio station, and authorities urged residents to seek higher ground. Accordingly, the residents of Kodiak City were housed in a high school.
Alaska is located on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where many tectonic plates collide and earthquakes often occur. In March 1964, Alaska was hit by a magnitude 9.2 earthquake, the most powerful earthquake recorded in North America. The earthquake destroyed the city of Anchorage and the resulting tsunami hit the Gulf of Alaska, the West Coast of the United States and Hawaii. More than 250 people were killed.