Alaska earthquake sparks tsunami warnings

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck near Alaska’s Aleutian Islands on Wednesday, Phys.org reports. The quake triggered a tsunami warning along a 700-mile stretch of the state’s  southern coast.

• Alaska is one of the most earthquake-prone areas in the world. It experiences a magnitude 7 or greater quake almost every year, and the deadly 1964 magnitude 9.2 quake remains the second-largest ever recorded.

• Seismologist Michael West said this quake is likely part of an ongoing sequence of large seismic events in the Aleutian arc, which has seen increased activity since 2020. While he cautioned against alarmism, he acknowledged that the trend is scientifically significant.

• Emergency officials have advised residents to continue taking warnings seriously after a series of false alarms fueled concern about a potential “burnout effect.”

• West warned of the region’s potential to generate trans-Pacific tsunamis, citing the deadly 1946 quake and tsunami that killed more than  150 people in Hawaii.