The Nation : Quake Jolts Alaska Cities, Coastal Areas

A strong earthquake struck Alaska, prompting evacuations of coastal villages as a precaution against a possible quake-generated sea wave, or tsunami, officials said. The quake, with a magnitude ranging from 7.3 to 7.5 on the Richter scale and lasting nearly a minute, was centered in the Gulf of Alaska, about 220 miles south of Cape Yakataga, officials at the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The quake was felt in Anchorage, Juneau and throughout southern Alaska, as well as the west coast of British Columbia, and far into some interior communities of Alaska and Canada, including Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory, officials said. The tsunami warning was called off after 90 minutes.