Updated: BC quake prompts tsunami warning for SE Alaska

A tsunami warning was posted Saturday evening for the outer coast of Southeast Alaska from Cape Decision to to the tip of Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Two earthquakes, magnitude 7.7 and 5.8, were reported near the Queen Charlotte Islands at about 7:04 and 7:14 Alaska time Saturday night. Several additional afterschocks were also reported Saturday evening and Sunday.

There were various reports by Juneau residents through social media that they felt the main quake with some shaking and swinging of hanging light fixtures, but no damage was initially reported.

Wave heights were reported at about four inches in Craig and Port Protection, about nine inches in Winter Harbour, B.C., and  two waves of about eight inches were detected at Langara Point.

Although Sitka was outside of the warning area, officials asked everyone to briefly leave the harbor area as a precaution. Juneau and other communities located within the inside waters of Southeast Alaska were not expected to see any significant change in water levels.

The tsunami warning for Alaska was eventually downgraded to an advisory and then cancelled late Saturday night. However, a tsunami warning was later posted for the Hawaiian Islands as propagation and travel maps indicated possible arrival of a wave there. A tsunami advisory for that area has since been cancelled after a five-foot wave was reported at Maui.

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