The quake struck at 12:31 a.m. local time (4:31 a.m. ET) about 330 miles south from the coast of Alaska at a depth of six miles, the USGS said. It later revised its strength downward from an initial reading of 8.2 magnitude.



A tsunami watch was issued for coastal areas from Washington to California early Tuesday after a magnitude 7.9. earthquake struck the Gulf of Alaska — but there were no early reports of any waves.

The US National Weather Service says a warning is in effect for the coasts of British Columbia and Alaska, while the US west coast is on tsunami watch.

Officials in Anchorage warned coastal areas, saying there was "extraordinary threat to life or property".

The alert told people to seek refuge on higher ground in affected areas.

Way better to be a disappointed pessimist!!

Waves between 0.4ft and 0.7ft had been recorded in Kodiak, Seward, Old Harbor, Sitka and Yakutat, the NWS said.

I think I read that the Fukushima quake was so powerful that it affected the rotation of the earth and it was [Sarcasm]just[/Sarcasm] a 6.6. It is weird that a 7.9 only created a baby tsunami.

It's not what you say anymore. It's how you say it.

There goes my surfing plans...