Powerful 7.3 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Alaskan Island, Triggers Tsunami Alert

The National Weather Service issued a tsunami warning following a 7.3 magnitude earthquake near Sand Point, Alaska on Wednesday. The earthquake struck 54 miles south of Sand Point, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Sand Point is located on northwestern Popof Island, off the Alaska Peninsula, approximately 600 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. The tsunami advisory covers South Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula to Kennedy Entrance and Unimak Pass on the Pacific Coast, including cities like Cold Bay and Kodiak.

In Kodiak, sirens sounded prompting residents to move to higher ground. The expected impact time in the area was around 2:40 p.m. However, there have been no reports of damage in Kodiak so far.

Michael Ashley from Cold Bay Lodge mentioned feeling the shaking but described it as not very intense. Cold Bay, under the tsunami warning, remains calm as residents are situated 100 feet above sea level. Ashley noted that such earthquakes are common in the area during the summer.