A quiet evening along Alaska’s rugged coast erupted into chaos Wednesday night as a powerful earthquake struck the Alaskan Peninsula, shaking the ground hundreds of miles away.
Late Wednesday, an 8.2-magnitude earthquake hit near Perryville, Alaska, at a depth of 35 kilometers beneath the ocean floor. The quake, one of the strongest ever recorded in the U.S., immediately set off tsunami sirens, sending coastal residents fleeing to higher ground.
Sirens Wail, Residents Evacuate
Towns including Kodiak and Sand Point were jolted awake as emergency sirens blared. Social media filled with images of families rushing uphill, crowded gas stations, and first responders coordinating along the roads.
The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center issued alerts for southern Alaska from Hinchinbrook Entrance to Unimak Pass, urging all low-lying residents to move immediately. Hawaii and Guam were briefly monitored but later deemed safe from a significant tsunami threat.
Aftershocks Keep the Region on Edge
The quake was far from over. At least eight aftershocks, including two above magnitude 6.0, rattled the area in the hours that followed. While no major injuries or damages have been reported so far, emergency teams stayed on high alert.
Continue reading on next page…