Tsunami Warning for Alaska After 7.1 Earthquake

By Ray Downs, Christian Post Reporter Friday, September 02, 2011

A 7.1 earthquake has hit the Aleutian islands off the coast of Alaska this morning, the U.S. Geological Survey reported, triggering a tsunami warning for a portion of the Alaskan coast.

The USGS said the earthquake struck at 6:55 A.M. There have not been reports of injury or deaths. The tsunami warning was issued for all coastal areas in between Unimak Pass, 80 miles northeast of Dutch Harbor, to Amchitka Pass, 125 miles west of Adak.

The tsunami warning is in effect for coastal areas of Alaska from Unimak Pass to Amchitka Pass. The areas are very remote and not heavily populated, according to Jessica Sigala, geophysicist with the USGS in Golden, CO told AP.

The Aleutian Islands are an archipelago of over 300 small, volcanic islands that form a “tail” near the southwest tip of Alaska. Earthquakes are common in the area; it is part of the “Pacific Ring of Fire” and experienced a 7.2 earthquake in June. That earthquake also triggered a tsunami warning which was soon canceled and no deaths were reported.