Alaskan earthquake – huge 8.2 magnitude tremors strike along coast as urgent tsunami warning issued

A TSUNAMI warning has been issued after an 8.2 magnitude earthquake struck the coast of Alaska.

The tremor was recorded around 495 miles southwest of the state's largest city Anchorage just after 10:15pm local time on Wednesday.

The quake, which is thought to be around 35km in depth, hit 91km southeast of the town of Perryville.

It’s feared that widespread hazardous waves are possible as Hawaii has been placed under a tsunami watch, according to the National Weather Service.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has also issued an alert for the US territory of Guam.

The National Tsunami Warning Center has issued warnings for other southern parts of the state and Pacific coastal areas.

Residents have been told to move to higher ground and tsunami warning sirens have been heard blasting out in Kodiak.

A buoy southwest of Kodiak has reportedly recorded "serious changes" in the water height meaning it's likely that a tsunami is active, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

But, there has been no confirmation of any tsunami waves and its potential impact remains unknown.

Meteorologist Matthew Cappucci said that the shockwaves moved the ground at up to 10cm per second.

TSUNAMI ALERT

Mild shaking has been reported in Anchorage but Reddit users claim "they didn't feel anything".

Officials have not issued a tsunami warning for Anchorage.

It's not known if any buildings have been damaged on the Alaskan mainland.

Officials at Japan's Meteorological Agency are investigating if there is a tsunami threat, according to the country's public broadcaster NHK.

New Zealand civil defense teams are assessing if the quake poses a risk to the country, TVNZ reports.

But if a tsunami is active, waves are not expected to hit for at least another 12 hours.

Several aftershocks ranging between 4.0-6.0 have been recorded, according to the US Geological Survey.

Alaska has recorded earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 7 to 8 at least once a year on average since 1900, according to the state government website.

It is part of the Ring of Fire – a long chain of volcanoes and earthquakes around the edge of the Pacific Ocean.

The tremor comes just years after a 7.0 magnitude quake hit the state in 2018.

The quake struck around eight miles (13 km) north of Anchorage.

Roads and bridges were the hardest hit, but Anchorage was mostly spared from major structural damage.

The state was devastated by the 1964 9.2 magnitude earthquake that killed 250 people as it caused a tsunami that battered the West Coast.

The 8.2 magnitude quake is believed to be the largest earthquake to hit the US since 1958.

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