Alaska hit by strong earthquake, tsunami warning issued

ALASKA: A powerful earthquake shook southern Alaska on Friday, prompting a tsunami warning for Cook Inlet and disrupting traffic and television transmissions in its largest city.

The 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck just south of Point MacKenzie, Alaska, with an epicenter seven miles (11.4 km) from Anchorage, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It had a depth of 26.7 miles (43 km).

The National Weather Service initially said there was no tsunami danger, but a few minutes later the agency said on Twitter that there was a warning in place for Cook Inlet, which links Anchorage with the Gulf of Alaska.

There were no initial reports of any damage or injuries.

Traffic in midtown Anchorage came to a standstill after the quake and CNN reported that television station KTUU, an NBC affiliate, was knocked off the air.

CBS said its affiliate KTVA was also off the air.

“Thought the house was going to come apart,” Anchorage-based climatologist Brian Brettschneider wrote on Twitter, posting a picture of his kitchen floor scattered with items that had fallen from cupboards.

The quake was initially reported as having a 6.7 magnitude.