Major quake hits off the coast of Alaska, triggers tsunami warnings but no large waves

A major earthquake struck offshore near the Alaska Peninsula at 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, triggering tsunami warnings for much of the Gulf of Alaska coastline, but no large waves.

A major earthquake struck offshore near the Alaska Peninsula at 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, triggering tsunami warnings for much of the Gulf of Alaska coastline, but no large waves.

The magnitude-8.2 quake hit roughly 60 miles offshore of Perryville, reported the U.S. Geological Survey.

“This is the largest earthquake to happen in the Alaska region since 1965,” said Michael West, state seismologist with the Alaska Earthquake Center. 

There were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries.

After the initial tsunami warnings, the National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer said at midnight that the waves caused by the quake were likely to be smaller than a foot.

“The good news is this does not look like a really significant event,” said Dave Snider, a tsunami warning coordinator with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But, he cautioned, there still could be danger in bays and harbors

The tsunami warnings had prompted Alaskans from Unalaska to Kodiak to Seward to evacuate Wednesday night as sirens wailed.

While some Anchorage residents also received tsunami alerts on their cellphones, the Anchorage Office of Emergency Management reported that there’s “no known current concerns” for the municipality.

The earthquake was felt widely across Alaska.

Also, the Alaska Earthquake Center reported 14 aftershocks of magnitude 4 or larger in the first two hours after the quake. The largest was a magnitude 5.9, eight minutes after the magnitude 8.2.

This story was republished with permission from Alaska Public Media.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.