Alaska Earthquake: Chilling Video Shows House, Cars Violently Shaking Amid Tsunami Warning

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 struck near a group of Alaskan islands on Wednesday afternoon, leading to the formation of a minor tsunami, Fox Weather reported citing officials.

The U.S. Geological Survey noted that the quake occurred at 12:37 p.m. local time, approximately 54 miles from Sand Point, Alaska, and was centered about 12 miles deep.

Initially, NOAA's National Tsunami Warning Center issued warnings for the Alaska coastline from Kennedy Entrance to Unimak Pass, including Kodiak Island, Chignik, and Cold Bay. The U.S. Coast Guard evacuated personnel from its Kodiak base to higher ground and prepared two air crews for assistance.

Impact and Response

The warning initially indicated a potential tsunami height of up to one foot and advised those in the affected areas to expect some local impacts. However, the warning was downgraded to an advisory within an hour as the threat diminished and was eventually cancelled. A buoy at Sand Point recorded a minor tsunami with a water rise of just 0.2 feet or about 3 inches.

"A tsunami was generated by this event but no longer poses a threat," stated the Tsunami Warning Center. "Some areas may continue to see small sea level changes." Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of damage from either the earthquake or the subsequent tsunami.

Seismic Activity in Alaska

Michael West, a seismologist with the Alaska Earthquake Center, explained that Alaska's southern coast is highly prone to earthquakes. "Four out of five earthquakes in the United States happen in Alaska," he said. While quakes are frequent in this region, not all are significant or even noticeable.

West added that initial signs suggested they were fortunate this time. Seismologists and the Tsunami Warning Center will continue collecting data on this seismic event.

Historical Context

Alaska experienced its most powerful earthquake in March 1964 with a magnitude of 9.2, which remains North America's strongest recorded quake. It caused extensive damage in Anchorage and triggered a tsunami affecting the Gulf of Alaska, the US west coast, and Hawaii.

Tsunamis consist of dangerous waves resulting from massive terrain movements like earthquakes or landslides. Meanwhile, footage has emerged online showing houses and cars shaking during Wednesday's earthquake in Alaska's southern peninsula.

Viral Video

The Alaska Earthquake Center shared a video captured by a resident in Sand Point, located about 50 miles from the epicenter. "We got this incredible footage of today's earthquake from a resident in Sand Point," they wrote. The agency expressed gratitude for shared experiences that help others understand earthquakes better and prepare accordingly.

"We are also grateful that we have not heard of anyone injured from this fairly large earthquake for Alaska," they added.