Editor’s note: This post has been updated: All tsunami watches and warnings canceled.
Breaking news out of Alaska where a reported magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck 175 miles southeast of Kodiak:
Correction 8.2 Magnitude Earthquake strikes 175 miles southeast Kodiak, Alaska pic.twitter.com/uv2Ux0KdFw
— Julie Durda (@JulieDurda) January 23, 2018
Update: Earthquake revised to 7.9:
TSUNAMI WARNING 4: See https://t.co/npoUHxWBas for alert areas. M7.9 175mi SE Kodiak City, Alaska 0032AKST Jan 23:
— NWS Tsunami Alerts (@NWS_NTWC) January 23, 2018
The quake generated tsunami warnings and watches all down the West Coast of Canada and the U.S.:
Earthquake epicenter about 175miles SE of Kodiak, AK.
Tsunami *watches* issued for Hawaii and West Coast of US. #Tsunami *warnings* stretching from British Columbia to Aleutian Islands.More details on @nbc6 right now. Join us! https://t.co/VtWHi7gTsW
— Angie Lassman (@AngieNBC6) January 23, 2018
From the National Weather Service:
Tue Jan 23 10:07:47 UTC 2018 event picture pic.twitter.com/qeKKqFTysB
— NWS Tsunami Alerts (@NWS_NTWC) January 23, 2018
Red showing vertical displacement of water at time of earthquake at Buoy 46409 in the Gulf of Alaska. Tsunami WARNING in place for Alaskan coast from Aleutians to panhandle and all of the west coast of Canada. Tsunami Watch for US West Coast and Hawaii. pic.twitter.com/ZX3i3rz0YN
— Ed Russo (@EdRussoWSBT) January 23, 2018
10m water displacement recorded by buoy station #46410 57.650 N 143.798 W https://t.co/RoDLWXABlH pic.twitter.com/d44fe6twXc
— Andy Smith (@g7izu) January 23, 2018
The Kodiak Police Department is telling anyone who calls to “get to higher ground” and that “lives are at stake”:
Just called the Kodiak police department
Unprompted: "If this is about the tsunami, going to ask you to get to higher ground."
"Can you talk to a reporter?"
"Keith, do we have time for a reporter right now."
"No"
"We're going to have to call you back. Lives at stake."
— Nat Herz (@Nat_Herz) January 23, 2018
And the sirens are going off in the city:
tsunami sirens going off in kodiak after the earthquake, i usually only ever hear the weekly siren test at 2pm on wednesdays so hearing it at 1am on tuesday is actually terrifying!! pic.twitter.com/ea5y7U6xnf
— kylie j (@scarygirI) January 23, 2018
#BREAKING: Police in #Kodiak, Alaska, have issued a tsunami warning after a preliminary 8.2 magnitude earthquake hit the coast. pic.twitter.com/GfGm5n9Zva
— WFAA (@wfaa) January 23, 2018
Keep in mind these things are hard to predict and it’s still early:
Q: Why is there a tsunami warning?
A: Major yet shallow underwater earthquake in Alaska. Travel time is easy to predict; wave height at arrival needs more data. https://t.co/I2H0QZRcYb— Mika McKinnon (@mikamckinnon) January 23, 2018
The first tsunami waves (size not yet forecast) are predicted to hit Washington state at around 5 a.m. PST, 8 a.m EST:
Tsunami watch in effect for coastal areas of Washington & Oregon. First waves may reach Neah Bay by 455 AM PST. Further updates can be found at https://t.co/2WYSMKl5py or NOAA weather radio. This is the result of an estimated M8.0 quake 175mi SE Kodiak City, Alaska. #wawx #orwx
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) January 23, 2018
Latest wave tsunami wave arrival estimates: Neah Bay 450 AM. PST.
Long Beach 455 AM. PST. Moclips 500 AM. PST Westport 505 AM. PST.
Port Angeles 530 AM. PST. Port Townsend 555 AM. #wawx— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) January 23, 2018
And for Alaska:
Forecast "tsunami activity" start times — no wave sizes forecast https://t.co/K06qzTMHUw pic.twitter.com/P8lKgEHgIO
— Anchorage Daily News (@adndotcom) January 23, 2018
We’ll keep you posted.
Update. Latest from Kodiak PD:
Update 2.
Update 3. The warning has been downgraded to an advisory:
Update 4: “Tsunami watches and warnings for the west coast have been canceled”:
Tsunami watches and warnings for the west coast have been canceled. A tsunami advisory is still in effect for portions of the Alaskan coast. No damage has been reported. https://t.co/Vhx9OWOJ6y
— KATC TV3 (@KATCTV3) January 23, 2018
#UPDATE: The National Tsunami Center has canceled a tsunami warning that was triggered by a powerful earthquake off the coast of Alaska
— Jay Greene KKCO/KJCT (@JGreeneReports) January 23, 2018
Although dangerous conditions remain:
NWS still predicting “tsunami experience” for the Bay Area & Northern California coastline. Expect increased current activity over next 6-12 hours with special concerns for small boaters, kayakers and swimmers. #earthquake @nbcbayarea
— Bob Redell (@BobNBC) January 23, 2018
Editor’s note: This post has been updated.
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