A powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake jolted the coast of Alaska late Saturday, leading to a short-lived tsunami warning for the southern region. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake's epicenter approximately 65.8 miles south of Sand Point, Alaska, occurring at 10:48 p.m. local time. The tremor originated at a depth of 13 miles.
The National Weather Service swiftly issued a tsunami advisory for the coastal area stretching from Chignik Bay to Unimak Pass, which was lifted approximately an hour later. The quake's impact was felt across the Aleutian Islands, Alaskan Peninsula, and Cook Inlet regions, according to the Alaska Earthquake Center.
Following the main earthquake, around eight aftershocks were recorded in the same vicinity, with one reaching a magnitude of 5.0 within just three minutes of the initial tremor. Social media footage captured Kodiak residents seeking refuge in shelters as sirens blared, warning of a potential tsunami threat.
Alaska is known for its frequent seismic activity, experiencing thousands of earthquakes annually. However, a majority of these are too minor or deep to be perceptible. Alaska holds the distinction of being the most seismically active U.S. state and the site of the second-largest earthquake ever documented – a 9.2 magnitude quake in Prince William Sound in 1964 that caused widespread devastation across south-central Alaska.
