Major quake off Alaska triggers small tsunami waves

A major 7.5-magnitude quake off the coast of Alaska triggered small tsunami waves Monday, US agencies said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Residents evacuated to higher ground as tsunami warnings covered much of the southern coast of the remote US state, including the thinly populated Alaska Peninsula, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Two-foot waves were recorded at the tiny nearby city of Sand Point, some 60 miles (100km) from the epicenter of the quake which struck at a depth of 25 miles (40 km).

The at-risk zone extended hundreds of miles northeast to the entry of the Cook Inlet.

But it stopped short of the state's largest city of Anchorage, located some 600 miles (1,000 km) from the epicenter and at the end of that gulf.

And the tsunami warning was downgraded to a less-severe advisory, with NOAA stating that affected areas "should not expect widespread inundation."

The earthquake itself was felt in the nearby Alaska Peninsula community of King Cove, but everything seemed to be intact, city administrator Gary Hennigh told the Anchorage Daily News.

Cold Bay resident Michael Ashley said the quake was "a pretty good ride."

"All the couches, recliners and bookcases were moving around, and I had to pretty much hold one of them up," he told the newspaper.

There was "a low likelihood of casualties and damage" from the quake itself, the United States Geological Survey said.

The major quake was followed by at least five aftershocks of 5.0-magnitude or higher.

Monday's quake came nearly three months after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck a close by region.

Alaska is part of the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire.

The US state was hit by a 9.2-magnitude earthquake in March 1964, the strongest ever recorded in North America.

It devastated Anchorage and unleashed a tsunami that slammed the Gulf of Alaska, the US west coast, and Hawaii.

More than 250 people were killed by the quake and the tsunami.

amz/st

COVE ENERGY

Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
When the Earth Quakes
A world of storm and tempest

Tweet

Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly

paypal only

SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal

North Sea sediment analysis helps scientists reconstruct ancient tsunami
Washington DC (UPI) Jul 16, 2020
By analyzing the sedimentary ancient DNA, sedaDNA, deposited on Doggerland, the landmass that once connected Britain and mainland Europe, researchers were able to reconstruct a tsunami that occurred 8,150 years ago. During the mid-holocene, a marine inundation swept away Doggerland, and Britain became separated from the mainland by the North Sea. To better understand the tsunami that hit Doggerland more than 8,000 years ago, researchers used a variety of breakthrough techniques to study ... read more