Tsunami warning as it happened: Threat to US and Canada ebbs away after earthquake sparks panic
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Much of the west coast of the US was woken by the threat of a huge tsunami overnight. But the panic soon subsided after all warnings were eventually withdrawn
Alaska and other parts of North America were bracing itself for disaster after a huge 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck at a shallow depth some 160 miles off the state's coast.
While alerts were originally issued across the entire west coast of America and Canada, they have since been withdrawn for all states. That was after people were told to head to high ground and get safe amid fears the tsunami could cause serious damage.
The US Geological Survey said the quake struck 256 km (157 miles) southeast of Chiniak, Alaska at a depth of 10 km at 0931 GMT on Tuesday morning.
Please allow the live blog above to load
The tsunami centre has sent out this advice on how any potential activity might look:
Impacts will vary at different locations in the warning
areas.
If you are in a tsunami warning area;
* A tsunami with damaging waves and powerful currents is
possible.
* Repeated coastal flooding is possible as waves arrive
onshore, move inland, and drain back into the ocean.
* Strong and unusual waves, currents and inland flooding
can drown or injure people and weaken or destroy structures
on land and in water.
* Water filled with floating or submerged debris that can
injure or kill people and weaken or destroy buildings and
bridges is possible.
* Strong and unusual currents and waves in harbors,
marinas, bays, and inlets may be especially
destructive.
* Some impacts may continue for many hours to days after
arrival of the first wave.
* The first wave may not be the largest so later waves may
be larger.
* Each wave may last 5 to 45 minutes as a wave encroaches
and recedes.
* Coasts facing all directions are threatened because the
waves can wrap around islands and headlands and into bays.
* Strong shaking or rolling of the ground indicates an
earthquake has occurred and a tsunami may be imminent.
* A rapidly receding or receded shoreline, unusual waves and
sounds, and strong currents are signs of a tsunami.
* The tsunami may appear as water moving rapidly out to sea,
a gentle rising tide like flood with no breaking wave,
as a series of breaking waves, or a frothy wall of water.
And it provides this advice on what to do:
Actions to protect human life and property will
vary within tsunami warning areas.
If you are in a tsunami warning area;
* Evacuate inland or to higher ground above and beyond
designated tsunami hazard zones or move to an upper floor of a multi-story building depending on your situation.
* Move out of the water, off the beach, and away from
harbors, marinas, breakwaters, bays and inlets.
* Be alert to and follow instructions from your local
emergency officials because they may have more detailed or specific information for your location.
* If you feel a strong earthquake or extended ground rolling take immediate protective actions such as moving inland and/or uphill preferably by foot.
* Boat operators,
* Where time and conditions permit, move your boat out to sea to a depth of at least 180 feet.
* If at sea avoid entering shallow water, harbors,
marinas, bays, and inlets to avoid floating and
submerged debris and strong currents.
* Do not go to the shore to observe the tsunami.
* Do not return to the coast until local emergency officials
indicate it is safe to do so.
If you are in a tsunami watch area;
* Prepare to take action and stay alert for further
information.
If there's a tsunami, it will hit land in the next few minutes. The first hit will be Kodiak, in Alaska. Local reports say the entire town has been evacuated.
Authorities in Kodiak, Alaska, are telling residents to move to higher ground after a strong earthquake struck nearby, prompting tsunami warning for a large swath of coastal Alaska and Canada's British Columbia while the remainder of the U.S. West Coast was under a watch.
A dispatcher at the Kodiak police department answered a call from The Associated Press by saying, "If this about the tsunami, you need to get to higher ground immediately."
The Kodiak police department posted an update 15 minutes ago:
TSUNAMI UPDATE
0155 update.
So far no waves have hit. Still waiting for the updates.
Please remain on high grounds.
We will continue to update you as best as we can.
Thanks you.
The tsunami watch has been cancelled for Hawaii, reports suggest. A watch is still in effect for the west coast of the mainland US, and the more dramatic warning is in place for the Canada and Alaska coast.
The first tsunami observations are coming in. In Old Harbor, Alaska, waves of half a foot were detected, the tsunami centre says.
Another update from the police in Kodiak, where any tsunami would be detected first:
TSUNAMI UPDATE: 0229 hours
Harbor officers report water reciding from our harbor. Citizens should remain in place and wait for further updates.
The Kodiak PD update about water leaving the harbour is the first reliable report about the channel clearing in Alaska. But a number of other reports on social media suggest the same.
If true, that is a worrying sign: the waters move back as the wave gathers, and so a substantial amount of change in sea levels could suggest something large on its way.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments