Magnitude 7.5 earthquake near Alaska creates tsunami

A powerful earthquake occurred just south of the Alaska Peninsula early Monday afternoon, local time, prompting a tsunami warning for part of the coast and several reports of small tsunami waves.

The earthquake was initially rated a magnitude 7.4 but was upgraded to a magnitude 7.5 with a depth of 40.1 km (25 miles), according to the USGS. The epicenter was approximately 575 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska.

“Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 km (186 miles) of the earthquake epicenter,” the National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) said in a bulletin shortly after the quake happened.

The NTWC reported a tsunami of 2.3 feet at Sand Point. A wave of 1.6 feet was reported at King Cove, Alaska.

Tsunami warnings were issued for part of the Alaska coast but did not include Anchorage. Around 3 p.m. AKDT Monday, the NTWC canceled the warnings but noted fluctuations in tide levels were still possible in the area near the epicenter.

A few hours later, the NTWC issued a tsunami advisory for the entire state of Hawaii and noted sea level changes had been recorded "at Hilo and Kahului just above advisory level that could be a hazard to swimmers and boaters as well as to persons near the shore at beaches and in harbors and marinas."

But by early Tuesday, all tsunami advisories were lifted and officials said there was no longer a threat.

David Adams, co-manager of Marine View Bed and Breakfast in Sand Point, told The Associated Press that the quake was a pretty good "shaker."

“You could see the water kind of shaking and shimmering during the quake. Our truck was swaying big time,” Adams said.

Since the initial magnitude 7.5 earthquake, there have been at least six aftershocks in the area with a magnitude of at least 5.0, according to the USGS.

According to the Alaska Earthquake Center, there have been more than 37,700 earthquakes reported in the state so far this year.

News of the Alaska quake comes just days after more than 1 million Americans took part in an annual event known as the Great ShakeOut. The Great Shakeout was held last Thursday and participants in the event ran through the steps experts advise taking in the event of a real quake.

The ShakeOut was first held in 2008 in California, according to the USGS. In the 12 years since launching, the ShakeOut has been practiced in many other states and around the world and is meant to encourage individuals, communities, schools and other organizations to review and update emergency preparedness plans and supplies and to secure your space in order to prevent damage and injuries.

With 45 states and territories in the United States at moderate to very high risk of earthquakes, according to the American Red Cross, preparation is one of the most important steps people can take to be ready for an unpredictable force of nature like an earthquake.

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