US : Tsunami warning issued after an earthquake of magnitude 8.2 hits the coast of Alaska
Parts of Alaska are under tsunami warnings after a 8.2 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast, according to preliminary data from the US Geological Survey. The very strong quake was located about 56 miles (91 kilometres) east southeast of Perryville, Alaska, and occurred around 10:15 p.m. Wednesday night local time.
“Hazardous tsunami waves for this earthquake are possible within the next three hours along some coasts,” the US Tsunami Warning System said in a statement. Perryville is a small village about 500 miles from Anchorage, Alaska’s biggest city. Tsunami warning sirens could be heard on Kodiak, an island with a population of about 6,000 people, along Alaska’s coastline.
A tsunami watch was also issued for Hawaii, meaning residents are required to stay away from beaches. Five aftershocks were recorded within 90 minutes of the earthquake, the largest with a magnitude of 6.2, according to the USGS. Alaska is part of the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire.
The Ring of Fire (also known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Rim of Fire, the Girdle of Fire or the Circum-Pacific belt) is a region around much of the rim of the Pacific Ocean where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. The Ring of Fire is a horseshoe-shaped belt about 40,000 km (25,000 mi) long and up to about 500 km (310 mi) wide.
Seventy-five percent of Earth’s volcanoes – more than 450 volcanoes are located along the Ring of Fire. Ninety percent of Earth’s earthquakes occur along its path, including the planet’s most violent and dramatic seismic events.
