By Nick Wiltgen From Weather Channel

A magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands of Alaska Monday, prompting tsunami warnings for the immediate region. Experts are evaluating the possibility of a broader tsunami across the Pacific Ocean.

The earthquake struck at 11:53 a.m. local time (4:53 p.m. Eastern time) near Little Sitkin Island in the far western part of the Aleutian Island chain, just west of the International Date Line. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the main jolt was followed by aftershocks measuring magnitude 6.0 and 5.8, occurring 18 and 37 minutes after the mainshock, respectively.

The National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska, issued a tsunami warning for a portion of the Aleutians stretching from Nikolski to Attu. “Widespread dangerous coastal flooding accompanied by powerful currents are possible and may continue for hours after tsunami arrival,” the NTWC bulletin said.

It issued a tsunami advisory from Nikolski to Unimak Pass, and advised that the tsunami danger for other portions of the Pacific Coast of the U.S. and Canada is still being evaluated.

The first tsunami measurement came from Amchitka, Alaska, about 25 miles from the quake’s epicenter. A tsunami of 0.6 foot (about 7 inches) was recorded at 12:36 p.m. local time. The NTWC said that the depth of the earthquake, some 71 miles below the earth’s surface, would mitigate the extent of the tsunami. Still, the center warned that the first tsunami wave is not necessarily the highest.

 

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