A tsunami warning was in effect Friday morning for parts of the Aleutian Islands after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Alaska.
The tsunami warning was canceled after only a small wave was recorded near Atka, Alaska. The tsunami warning was in effect for coastal areas of Alaska from Unimak Pass to Amchitka Pass.
The Alaska earthquake comes just days after Alaska governor Sean Parnell warned Alaska residents to prepare for a natural disaster by stocking up on supplies and having an emergency plan in place.
Speaking at a news conference in Anchorage, in which he joined Anchorage mayor Dan Sullivan and state emergency management director John Madden, Mr. Parnell emphasized personal responsibility, noting that residents should have a week’s worth of food and purified water in case of emergency.
Mr. Madden said state officials are currently evaluating how best to prepare for a disaster that could disrupt delivery of essential services, including food, shelter and power.
Mr. Parnell, who has made disaster readiness a priority of his administration, said residents should not rely on the federal government or state officials in the event of an emergency, noting the state’s ability to reach residents in remote location could take hours, possibly even days.
The Alaska earthquake is the third large earthquake to hit the U.S. in less than two weeks. Earlier this month an unusually large earthquake hit the state of Virginia, rattling the nerves of residents living on the East Coast. On Thursday, a 4.2-magnitude quake rumbled through the Los Angeles region — the biggest such tremor in the area in more than a year. No injuries or damage were reported.
