7.3 Magnitude Quake Shakes Region

A powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck southern Alaska on Wednesday, triggering mass evacuations along the coastline.

The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the quake at 12:38 p.m. local time (4:30 p.m. ET), with the epicenter located in the Pacific Ocean near the Shumagin Islands, southeast of Sand Point and close to the Alaska Peninsula.

Emergency War.nings Prompt Swift Action

Alarms blared and cellphones buzzed as emergency notifications urged people from the Kennedy Entrance near Homer to Unimak Pass by Unalaska to head inland or to a higher elevation.

Homer’s mayor, Rachel Lord, described the situation: “We heard reports of bumper-to-bumper traffic early on, as people rushed to evacuate the spit.”

Tsunami Alerts Issued, Then Downgraded

Authorities initially issued tsunami warnings for coastal areas including Kodiak Island, the Alaska Peninsula, and the eastern Aleutians. Photos from affected regions showed empty shorelines and receding water levels—an ominous sign of a possible tsunami.

David Snider, a tsunami coordinator with NOAA, confirmed the quake had generated waves that raised sea levels by about three inches.

“A tsunami was indeed generated,” he said, “but it no longer poses a threat.” However, officials cautioned that small changes in sea level could persist for a while.

The full tsunami warning was issued shortly after the earthquake, but was reduced to an advisory within 90 minutes. By 12:45 p.m. local time (6:45 p.m. ET), the advisory had also been lifted.

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