ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – A tsunami warning that was issued Wednesday for parts of Southcentral and Southwest Alaska due to a large earthquake along the Aleutian Chain has been lowered to an “advisory” status.
The tremor struck at 12:37 p.m. Alaska time, triggering the warning, but by 1:50 p.m. was lowered to an advisory.
The Kodiak Emergency Operations Center posted shortly after the earthquake that the first waves are forecasted to hit the island at 2:41 p.m.
The Kodiak Emergency Operations Center reported a 6-inch wave was confirmed by the U.S. Coast Guard. However, the center could not confirm where the wave was detected.
The Alaska Earthquake Center has recorded more than 20 aftershocks since the initial earthquake, the largest being a magnitude 5.2.
“It is unknown how large the waves may be,” the center wrote. “Local sirens will cycle every 15 minutes if necessary.”
The center added that Kodiak High School and North Star Elementary School are both open if you need shelter.
The U.S. Coast Guard reported that personnel on Base Kodiak are evacuating to higher ground and have launched two ready aircrews.
Dave Snider, a tsunami warning coordinator with the National Tsunami Warning Center, said the areas that could be impacted now are Cold Bay to Kodiak and Sand Point, but he says the quake happened in shallow water so they are “not expecting a large event.”
But there is still a threat, so Snider says stay away from the beach or water.
An earthquake on July 16 was measured at magnitude 7.3 with an epicenter near Sand Point along the Aleutians, about 83 miles southeast of King Cove.(Melissa Frey/Alaska’s News Source)
The quake was measured at magnitude 7.3 with an epicenter near Sand Point along the Aleutians, about 83 miles southeast of King Cove.
The tsunami impacts were originally reported to be potentially felt as close as 40 miles southwest of Homer, according to available data.
Low tide in Kachemak Bay, which surrounds the Homer area, was listed at roughly 1 p.m. Wednesday, which could help alleviate the impacts of any larger waves.
The Homer Police Department posted on its Facebook page that residents from the Kennedy Entrance — the waterway between the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island — to Unimak Pass are advised to head to higher ground.
The mayor of Homer told Alaska’s News Source that the city “just received an all clear for the Homer area from the Coast Guard and state homeland security.”
An alert from the Anchorage Office of Emergency Management indicated that there was no immediate danger to Anchorage.
The U.S. Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert showing the extent ranging from the Aleutian coastline to the shores of Cook Inlet through the Kenai Peninsula, but not along Turnagain Arm or areas further north.
Debi Schmidt, the city administrator for Sand Point, told Alaska’s News Source less than an hour after the earthquake that it was the “biggest one” she’s ever felt.
“I was at home for lunch and the house was shaking and things were falling, and cupboard doors were coming open,” she said. “No damage, though.”
This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.
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