A powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Thursday, prompting a Tsunami Advisory for a remote stretch of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake occurred just before 11 a.m. Alaska Daylight Time (3 p.m. ET), centered approximately 90 miles east of Petropavlovsk.
The Tsunami Advisory is in effect for the Aleutian Islands from Amchitka Pass to Attu. The U.S. Tsunami Warning Center forecasts that the first waves could reach Shemya, Alaska, around 12:20 p.m. AKDT.
A Tsunami Advisory is issued when a tsunami capable of producing strong currents or waves dangerous to those in or near the water is expected. While widespread inundation is not anticipated, officials warn of potential minor flooding in beach and harbor areas.
No other coastal locations in the U.S. or Canada are under an alert. However, the warning center noted that waves of 3 to 9 feet (1 to 3 meters) are possible along parts of the Russian coast closer to the epicenter.
The event is believed to be an aftershock of the major magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck the same region on July 29. That earlier quake triggered widespread tsunami alerts across the Pacific, though it ultimately resulted in only minor wave activity and no significant damage in Hawaii or along the U.S. West Coast.
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