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Global

Major quake strikes in Pacific off Alaska, tsunami warning issue


    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A major earthquake of 7.4 magnitude hit in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday 107 miles east of Atka, Alaska, at a depth of about 25 miles, and a tsunami warning was in effect for coastal Alaska, warning agencies said.

    A second quake of the same magnitude hit in the same vicinity and at the same depth a half-minute later, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

    "A Tsunami warning is now in effect which includes the coastal areas of Alaska from Unimak Pass, Alaska (80 miles northeast of Dutch Harbor) to Amchitka Pass, Alaska (125 miles west of Adak)," the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center said.

    The center monitors tsunami risk only for the west coast of North America from the Mexican border to Alaska.

    A tsunami warning means all coastal residents in the warning area who are near the beach or in low-lying regions should move immediately to higher ground and away from harbors and inlets, including those sheltered directly from the sea.

    Earthquakes of this size magnitude are known to generate tsunamis. If a tsunami has been generated, the waves will first reach Adak, Alaska, at 8:12 p.m. Adak, Alaska time (12:12 a.m. EDT on Friday).

    (Reporting by Philip Barbara and Anthony Boadle; Editing by Peter Cooney)