Tsunami watch for West Coast after earthquake in Alaska
Alaska earthquake & tsunami Alert lifted, after 7.9 magnitude quake this morning near Kodiak, downgraded from 8.2 this morning - live updates
ANCHORAGE, Alaska CBS News, 23 January 2018 -- A 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck off Alaska's Kodiak Island early Tuesday, prompting a tsunami warning for a large swath of the state's coast and Canada's British Columbia, and watches for the rest of the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii. Officials at the National Tsunami Center canceled the warning after a few tense hours after waves failed to show up in coastal Alaska communities. No serious damage had been reported.
The strong earthquake hit at 12:30 a.m. and was recorded about 170 miles southeast of Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska. Kodiak Island is located about 200 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, which was not under a tsunami threat. Initially, the U.S. Geological Survey said the temblor was a magnitude 8.2.
An advisory remained in effect for a small part of the Alaskan coast, and watches were canceled for Washington, Oregon, California, British Columbia and Hawaii. Officials in Japan also said there was no tsunami threat there.
CBS Anchorage affiliate KTVA-TV kept viewers up to date:
View image on Twitter
