VIDEOS: 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 canceled. The tremor struck at 12:37 p.m. Alaska time, triggering the warning, but by 1:50 p.m. was lowered to an advisory, and by 2:45 p.m., it was canceled outright. The Kodiak Emergency Operations Center posted shortly after the earthquake that the first waves were forecasted to hit the island at 2:41 p.m.
The Kodiak Emergency Operations Center reported a six-inch wave which was confirmed by the U.S. Coast Guard. The center could not confirm where the wave was detected. The U.S. Coast Guard reported that personnel on Base Kodiak are evacuating to higher ground and have launched two ready aircrews. 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 Alaska Earthquake Center has recorded more than 20 aftershocks since the initial earthquake, the largest being a magnitude 5.2.
Dave Snider, a tsunami warning coordinator with the National Tsunami Warning Center, said the areas that could be impacted 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.” Despite that, Snider cautioned people to stay away from the beach or water. The tsunami impacts were originally reported to be potentially felt as close as 40 miles southwest of Homer, according to available data.
