- Magnitude 8.2 struck 157miles off Alaskan coast on Tuesday morning
- Tsunami warning for Alaska and Canada issued, and tsunami alert for west coast
- Locals in Alaska and British Columbia coasts told to move inland
A tsunami alert has been issued for the entire U.S. west coast following an earthquake striking off southern Alaska.
The 8.2 magnitude earthquake, hit 157miles (256km) southeast of Chiniak, Alaska.
It struck at a depth of 6.2miles (10km) at 9.31am GMT on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The quake prompted a tsunami warning for parts of Alaska and British Columbia in Canada, and locals are being told to move inland to higher ground.
‘If you are located in this coastal area, move inland to higher ground. Tsunami warnings mean that a tsunami with significant inundation is possible or is already occurring,’ Anchorage Office of Emergency Management said.
A tsunami watch has also been issued for the U.S. west coast and Hawaii.
‘Based on all available data a tsunami may have been generated by this earthquake that could be destructive on coastal areas even far from the epicenter,’ the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.
Japan’s meteorological agency said it was monitoring the situation but did not issue a tsunami alert.
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