The National Weather Service has officially lifted the tsunami advisory for communities located on the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island following a significant magnitude 7.3 earthquake. This earthquake occurred approximately 55 miles south of Sand Point and was reported at 2:43 p.m. on Wednesday.
Initially, the Weather Service issued a tsunami warning for the region, which was subsequently downgraded to an advisory. The warning affected key areas including the cities of Sand Point, Cold Bay, and Kodiak. Residents in these communities heard sirens sounding intermittently throughout the afternoon as a precautionary measure.
Fortunately, no major waves were reported in any of the affected areas. In Sand Point, the Weather Service recorded a wave height of just a few inches, indicating that the potential threat had diminished considerably.
The earthquake struck at approximately 12:37 p.m. local time on Wednesday, with a depth of about 9 miles, as reported by the Alaska Earthquake Center. Following the initial quake, the center documented around 30 aftershocks within a two-hour period, with the most significant aftershock registering a magnitude of 5.2.
The swift response from the National Weather Service and the Alaska Earthquake Center ensured that residents were adequately alerted and prepared for potential tsunami threats. As it stands, communities in Alaska can breathe a sigh of relief as the tsunami advisory has been lifted and no significant seismic activity is being reported.
