Late Wednesday night, an 8.2-magnitude earthquake hit off the southern coast of Alaska, triggering a tsunami watch for Hawaii and a warning for parts of Alaska. The quake, the strongest in the U.S. in 50 years, occurred around 10:15 p.m. local time, about 75 miles southeast of Chignik, and was felt across Kodiak Island and the Alaska Peninsula.
As the tsunami warning spread, residents in Kodiak evacuated to higher ground, with sirens sounding throughout the area. While no serious damage was reported, the shaking affected homes and campgrounds. At Camp Woody, caretaker Questa Harper felt the tremors and led campers to safety on a nearby hill until the all-clear was given.
In Cold Bay, Michael Ashley felt the quake roll beneath him, comparing it to being on a boat. Despite the shaking, patrons at the lodge remained calm, as earthquakes are common in the Aleutians. Alaska recorded over 49,000 seismic events in 2020, including some of the world’s strongest earthquakes.
Seismologist Stephen Holtkamp noted that the earthquake was likely influenced by previous seismic activity, which can stress nearby faults. The quake’s depth and the sparsely populated areas it affected helped minimize damage. This earthquake was one of only 17 globally to reach a magnitude of 8.2 or higher since 1990, highlighting Alaska’s seismic vulnerability.
