A powerful earthquake of magnitude 8(point)2 struck off the southern coast of Alaska today. The US Geological Survey said the quake struck in the Gulf of Alaska, 280 kilometers southeast of the town of Kodiak and the epicentre was 10 kilometers under the seabed.
The National Tsunami Warning Center said Tsunami warnings were issued for Alaska and the west coast of Canada. It said less-ominous tsunami watches were issued for the US west coast — the entire coasts of California and Oregon and part of Washington state.