PTWC clears Hawaii, no threat from strong 7.8 mag earthquake off Alaska

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Officials at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a strong earthquake off the Alaskan Coast Tuesday night no longer poses a threat to Hawaii.

Warnings and advisories however have been issued for towns along the Alaskan Coast, and the Aleutian Islands.

The quake, which initially measured 7.4 in magnitude, has since been upgraded to 7.8 mag.

It struck at 8:13 p.m. Tuesday night. The epicenter was located near the Alaskan Peninsula at a depth of 8 miles down.

No tsunami warnings or watches were issued for Hawaii. After more than an hour of assessment, officials said definitively that the quake did not pose a threat to Hawaii.

The most impacts Hawaii could possibly see would be small changes in tide levels, less than 0.3 meters overnight.

A tsunami threat exists closer to the Alaskan Coast where the earthquake struck. Tsunami advisories remain in effect for the southern Alaskan Coast and the Aleutian Islands.

This story will be updated.

Copyright 2020 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.