An earthquake measuring 8.2 on the Richter scale has struck just south of the Alaskan Peninsula. The authorities have issued warnings and advisory notices about a possible tsunami.
At 10:15pm local time on Wednesday evening (06:15 GMT Thursday), an earthquake rocked the Alaskan Peninsula. The US Geological Survey said the quake, measuring 8.2 in magnitude, had occurred at a depth of 29 miles (46.7km), and that the epicenter was 56 miles (91km) southeast of Perryville, a small settlement on the peninsula.
The US National Tsunami Warning Center issued the most severe warning on its scale for part of the peninsula. Hawaii’s status was upgraded to “watch.”
In unverified footage posted on social media, the tsunami sirens can be heard across the bay. The roads appear full as people flee low ground to areas of safety.
#Tsunami #Alaska #Kodiak #TsunamiAlert #Earthquake pic.twitter.com/viFjoyMtzu
— Manuel Sarmiento (@ManuelS91513423) July 29, 2021
🚨#BREAKING: The 8.2 earthquake is the largest to strike the United States since 1965
Warning sirens are now blaring along the Alaskan coastline as waves approach.
The Tsunami Warning System is still calculating possible further risks to the Hawaiian Islands pic.twitter.com/rzzVI4txUD— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) July 29, 2021
#Kodiak #Alaska as of 10 minutes ago… sirens and evacuations #earthquake #tsunami pic.twitter.com/BfdjAzqGcj
— 🇺🇸*SkyQueen*🇺🇸 ✈️👑⭐️ (@Triquetra331) July 29, 2021
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also warned of a possible tsunami threat to the US territory of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
The organization shared an image on Twitter showing the tsunami travel time indicated by contours on a map.
Thu Jul 29 07:03:47 UTC 2021 event picture pic.twitter.com/TGf2yerpzh
— NWS Tsunami Alerts (@NWS_NTWC) July 29, 2021
The US National Weather Service Guam has downgraded the possible threat, noting, “At this time, there is no tsunami threat out for Guam & the CNMI (Northern Mariana Islands).”
A post by the US National Weather Service Anchorage Alaska reiterated that a tsunami warning remained in effect for the state.
A Tsunami Warning remains in effect. A Tsunami Advisory also remains in effect. pic.twitter.com/QLTiROkiri
— NWS Anchorage (@NWSAnchorage) July 29, 2021
The National Weather Service added that Hawaii had elected to cancel its “Tsunami Watch” status, but confirmed that “all other Warnings and Advisories continue until further notice.”
The quake is the largest to hit the US since 1965, and the sixth-largest in the continent’s history. All the US’s most severe earthquakes have occurred in the state of Alaska.
DETAILS TO FOLLOW
Source: RT