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UPDATE: 70 earthquakes detected off Alaska peninsula following 8.2-magnitude quake Wednesday night

Alaska tsunami warning ended after wave heights measured less than a foot
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A series of earthquakes struck off the Alaska coast starting late July 28 and continued into July 29. (United States Geological Survey map)

Earthquakes have been shaking the Alaska peninsula since late Wednesday night.

An 8.2-magnitude quake struck 104 kilometres southeast of Perryville, Ala., at 11:15 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the United States Geological Survey. It was followed almost four minutes later by a 6.1-magnitude earthquake 114 km from Perryville and a 5.9 quake 119 km from Chignik four minutes after that.

As of 8:13 a.m. July 29, a total of 70 earthquakes have been detected near the Alaska peninsula following that initial 8.2 quake Wednesday night. The aftershocks ranged in magnitude from 2.6 to 6.1 with most in the middle of that range.

There is no active tsunami warning for the area or B.C. An initial warning was in effect for south and southeast Alaska, the Alaska peninsula, and the Aleutian Islands. That warning was issued shortly after the initial earthquake Wednesday. By 11:45 p.m., officials had determined there was no threat to B.C.

At approximately 1:30 a.m. Thursday, the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert confirming a tsunami. The tsunami advisory was cancelled shortly after 2:30 a.m. for Alaska with tsunami wave heights measuring half a foot at San Point at 12:45 a.m., 0.4 ft. in King Cove at 1:09 a.m., 0.3 ft. at 2:05 a.m. in Unalaska, 0.5 ft. at 1:27 a.m. in Kodiak, 0.4 ft. in Alitak Bay at 1:42 a.m., and 0.7 ft. at 2:05 a.m. in Old Harbor.

Those observed tsunami heights are the highest recorded water level above the tide level as of 2:30 a.m.

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Katherine Engqvist

About the Author: Katherine Engqvist

I took on the role of Bureau Chief when we created the Greater Victoria editorial hub in 2018.
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