By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The tsunami warnings issued across the Pacific Ocean have been lifted after an earthquake of 8.2 magnitude struck the Alaska Peninsula.
The peninsula extends about 800 km (497 mi) to the southwest from the mainland of Alaska and ending in the Aleutian Islands.
The peninsula separates the Pacific Ocean from Bristol Bay, an arm of the Bering Sea.
The quake struck at 10:15pm on Wednesday (06:15 GMT Thursday) at a depth of 35km (22 miles), The US Geological Survey (USGS) said.
In Alaska, the National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) had issued the warnings for southern parts of the state, the Peninsula, and Pacific coastal areas from Hinchinbrook Entrance to Unimak Pass.
The US states of California, Oregon and Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia were not expected to see any significant tsunami threats, Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator with the NTWC, told Reuters news agency.
“There might be some minor damage in some places [in Alaska], but a significant tsunami and significant damage from something like that is not expected,” Snider said. “That’s really fortunate in this case, because 8.2 is really strong enough to make a sizable wave, especially in that location of the world.”
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) had also issued a warning for the US state of Hawaii and the US Pacific territory of Guam.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said there was no danger to the country, the public broadcaster NHK said.
The maximum wave height detected was 21cm (eight inches) above tide level with surges hitting at least six points off Alaska’s coastline, according to the NTWC.
Locals living close to sea level were told to evacuate to higher ground. No injuries or deaths were reported.
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