US: Tsunami warning issued after 7.3 magnitude earthquake on Alaska Island

Alaska. A 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck near Sand Point, Alaska on Wednesday, due to which the National Weather Service issued a tsunami warning. Sand Point is located on the northwestern Popof Island of the Alaska Peninsula. It is about 600 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. According to the USGS (United States Geological Survey), the earthquake occurred 54 miles south of Sand Point, with its epicenter at a depth of 20 kilometers in the earth.

According to Michigan Technological University, a major earthquake capable of causing serious damage is considered to be of magnitude 7.0-7.9. Only about 10-15 earthquakes of this magnitude are recorded every year. The tsunami warning warned of danger from South Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula to Kennedy Entrance and Unimak Pass on the Pacific Coast. Apart from Sand Point, the Alaskan cities of Cold Bay and Kodiak are also included in the warning area.

The National Weather Service urged residents of these areas to move to high places or go to the top floor of a multi-storey building. Tremors are often felt in this seismically active area. Emergency service officials are closely monitoring the situation amid fears of a possible tsunami. There is no news of any damage in Alaska due to this earthquake. After the 7.3 magnitude earthquake, there is a more than 90% chance of aftershocks (feeling low-intensity seismic tremors) in the coming days.

Located on the boundary of the Pacific tectonic plate and the North American plate, the Aleutian Islands are known as a hotspot for earthquakes. Since the year 1900, several earthquakes of magnitude 8.0 have occurred in this region. The Aleutian Islands are a chain of 14 main, large volcanic islands and 55 smaller islands. Most of the Aleutian Islands belong to the US state of Alaska.