Alaska quake triggers tsunami warnings

WASHINGTON, Jan 23 (AFP): A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.9 struck off the coast of Alaska early Tuesday, prompting tsunami warnings or watches as far away as California.

The quake struck at 0931 GMT in the Gulf of Alaska, 280 kilometers southeast of the town of Kodiak, the US Geological Survey said, revising a preliminary estimate of 8.2 magnitude. The epicenter was 10 kilometers under the seabed.

Tsunami warnings were issued for south and southeast Alaska and the west coast of Canada, the National Tsunami Warning Center said.

Heather Rand, who was 360 miles away in Anchorage, told CNN it felt like the longest earthquake she had ever experienced.