A tsunami alert has been issued for the west coast of America after a powerful 8.2-magnitude earthquake struck off Alaska. The quake hit 157 miles south east of the town of Kodiak at about 9.30am GMT on Tuesday (12.30am local time). It was in the Gulf of Alaska at a depth of 6.2 miles (10km), the US Geological Survey reported. The earthquake prompted a tsunami warning for coastal Alaska and the west coast of British Columbia in Canada.
Less severe tsunami watches were issued for the US west coast – the entire coasts of California and Oregon and part of Washington state. Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska, issued an extreme warning, saying there is “extraordinary threat to life or property”. The alert told people living on the coast to “go to high ground or move inland”. There were no immediate reports of damage or injury. Video posted on social media showed streams of cars queuing in Kodiak as people evacuated the town. READ MORE
