Tsunami Watch Canceled For California After Alaska Earthquake

CALIFORNIA – The National Weather Service has canceled a tsunami watch for the California coast following a 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Alaska. An initial tsunami watch covered the coast from the California border with Mexico to the Washington border with British Columbia.

The earthquake struck at 12:31 a.m. Tuesday – 1:31 a.m. Pacific Standard Time – about 175 miles southeast of the city of Kodiak, the main city on Kodiak Island, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 8.2, but officials later downgraded it to a 7.9-magnitude quake. A series of aftershocks followed the quake.

The tsunami watch was canceled for the California coast, as well as the coastal areas of Washington and Oregon, at 4:16 a.m. Several small tsunamis were observed in Alaska, all under a foot in height, weather officials said, but they did not pose a threat to California.

Some areas may see small sea level changes due to the earthquake, according to weather officials.

Officials warned that some shoreline areas, marinas and harbors could experience dangerous and unpredictable currents. In the San Francisco Bay Area, residents were asked to avoid the water until about 4:30 p.m., while residents in San Diego County were urged to take caution near the coast.

Map via U.S. Geological Survey