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Alaska quake brings tsunami fears

January 5, 2013

A tsunami warning was issued on Saturday for stretches of coastal Alaska and British Colombia following an earthquake off southwest Alaska.

https://p.dw.com/p/17EYN
Symbolic photo: A printout from Germany's seismographic center at Potsdam: Photo: Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/dapd
Image: dapd

An earthquake of 7.5 magnitude occurred off the coast of south western Alaska on Saturday, prompting a tsunami warning.

The quake struck around 60 miles (100km) southwest of Port Alexander and 355 kilometres south of Alaska's state capital Juneau, at a depth of around six miles (10 kilometers) at 11:58 p.m. (0858 GMT Saturday), according to the US Geological Service.

There were also aftershocks with a magnitude of up to 4, and locations down the western coast of North America and as far as Seattle felt the tremors, said the service.

The tremors prompted the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska, to issue a tsunami warning for the southeastern coast of Alaska and British Colombia- stretching from Cape Suckling, which is 75 miles southeast of the town of Cordova, to Vancouver Island.

The Alaska Dispatch reported voluntary evacuations within the affected region.

The development comes after a 7.7-quake hit British Colombia on October 27. Although it prompted a tsunami warning, there was no resulting damage.

sej/ipj (Reuters, dpa)