A powerful jolt struck off the southern coast of Alaska early Wednesday. This strong tremor immediately triggered tsunami alarms for several towns nearby. Official reports confirmed the quake was powerful enough to create dangerous waves. This led to urgent advice for people living along the shore.
A Shudder from the Depths
The ground shook violently during the early morning hours of July 16. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured this powerful earthquake at 7.3 on the Richter scale. That’s a serious shake, especially for areas close to where it hit.
The quake happened about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Sand Point. Sand Point is a small town in the Shumagin archipelago. Experts confirmed the quake started just over 20 kilometers (12 miles) deep. This shallow depth is important. It means more energy reaches the surface and the ocean floor, which can quickly stir up dangerous sea level changes. That’s why tsunami warnings are so crucial in these cases.
As of now, there are no reports of major building damage or injuries. But the official advice is still to leave coastal areas. People should move to higher ground as a safety step. This follows established emergency plans.
Coastal Towns on High Alert
The National Tsunami Warning Center detailed which parts of Alaska’s southern coast were under warning. Key areas included Sand Point, Kodiak, Cold Bay, and King Cove. All these places received messages telling people to get away from beaches, river mouths, and harbors.
Sand Point is roughly 87 kilometers (54 miles) from the quake’s center. It sits on Popof Island within the Shumagin archipelago. This community is hard to reach by land. It has evacuation plans ready, and they have been used before in similar events.
The Alaska Peninsula is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. This huge area circles the Pacific Ocean and is known for its many earthquakes and volcanoes. In 2021, an 8.2 magnitude earthquake hit Chignik. That town is not far from where this latest quake happened.
Safety First: Listen to the Experts
The National Weather Service and NOAA urged people to evacuate safely. Where you go depends on your location. Some should move to higher ground. Others might head to upper floors of sturdy buildings. The main goal is to keep everyone safe. They want to avoid any big problems if dangerous waves form.
Local authorities reminded everyone to use official channels for information. Sources like the USGS or Tsunami.gov are key. This helps stop rumors or false news from spreading. It’s important not to get in the way of emergency workers. People were also told not to go back to evacuated areas until authorities confirm it is safe.
Monitoring teams are still watching the ocean closely. They are also looking for aftershocks. It’s common to have smaller quakes after such a big one. So, the alert stays active for the entire southern coastal strip.