Tsunami

The massive earthquake that struck Japan late Thursday triggered a tsunami which swept along the Alaska coastline from the Aleutian chain to Southeast Alaska Friday morning, causing no reports of damage to date. A stretch of coastline between Attu and Amchitka Pass was under a tsunami warning Friday morning, while the rest of the state faced a less-severe tsunami advisory that continued into the afternoon. A tide gauge at Shemya, Alaska, monitored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed water rising 5 feet early Friday.

It's not the big chunks of debris that we've seen wash up along Alaska and the Pacific coasts in the months since the March 2011 tsunami, but conservationists are still worried about the large amounts of Styrofoam that has washed up along the Kenai Peninsula this summer. There may be too much Styrofoam and not enough volunteers to clean it up before winter. "As that Styrofoam freezes and gets weathered, it will break up into small pieces very quickly,” said Special Programs Coordinator at the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, Patrick Chandler.

A tsunami warning was issued and then canceled Thursday night for the Aleutian chain, after a 7.3 preliminary-magnitude earthquake struck 20 miles southeast of Amutka Pass. The warning was issued for the areas between Unimak Pass and Amchitka Pass at 7:17 p.m., and then canceled at 8:22 after no tsunami was observed. Residents of Atka and Dutch Harbor were evacuated to higher ground, but have since returned home. "Everyone has four wheelers or vans and everyone wentup to higher ground," said Lorraine Loyd, of Atka.

It was 46 years ago that the Good Friday earthquake shook Alaska to its core -- but the final draft of history is still being written. A new documentary, "Waves Over Seward," features footage of the disaster that was almost lost. On March 27, 1964, the earthquake ruptured Standard Oil tanks at the Port of Seward, touching off a furious fire captured on film that recently surfaced at an estate sale. "I don't know who shot this film," said "Waves Over Seward" producer Russ Weston.

A 4.2 magnitude earthquake occurred just before 8:30 a.m., according to the National Weather Service. NWS officials state that the quake centered 30 miles west of Anchorage and 60 miles southwest of Palmer. A tsunami warning was not issued for this earthquake.   Contact Jessica Ridgway  

A statewide exercise will test Alaska's tsunami alert system on March 28th between 9:45 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. During the test, you may hear tsunami sirens in many communities.    If you are watching tv or listening to the radio, you may see or hear a message that a tsunami warning has been issued for the state. Officials say there is no need to evacuate your home or call 9-1-1 because it is not a real emergency. People monitoring the test in coastal areas who do not receive it are asked to inform their local National Weather Service office.

Harmful Japan tsunami debris washing ashore in Alaska is highly unlikely, according to state and federal officials who agree that wreckage from the March 2011 tragedy probably doesn't contain major radioactivity. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) gathered experts on the topic in Anchorage Friday, as concerns mount regarding whether or not the debris could harm Alaska's prized seafood industry. The Marine Conservation Alliance, a non-profit which tracks marine debris, expects the main body of tsunami debris to start washing ashore in 2013, although it's already getting reports of Japanese buoys showing up in places like Yakutat.

This year marks the 49 th anniversary of the largest earthquake to ever hit Alaska, the second largest ever recorded. The date is being marked with a test of the Tsunami Warning system. Several agencies including The National Weather Service and the Division of Home Land Security will begin a live test of the Tsunami Warning system around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday. The live test will use the same procedures that would be used in the event of a real emergency. The alert will originate in Palmer at the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center and be transmitted using several methods, including the Emergency Alert System and NOAA Weather Band frequencies.

UPDATE: The National Weather Service issued this update at 3:48 a.m. Sunday AK time: ...THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS CANCELED FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA FROM GUALALA POINT CALIFORNIA/LOCATED 80 MILES NW OF SAN FRANCISCO/ TO THE OREGON CALIFORNIA BORDER... EVALUATION THE TSUNAMI THREAT HAS DIMINISHED FOR ALASKA/ BRITISH COLUMBIA/ WASHINGTON/ OREGON OR CALIFORNIA. HOWEVER... SOME AREAS MAY EXPERIENCE NON-DAMAGING SEA LEVEL CHANGES. AS LOCAL CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE A WIDE VARIATION IN TSUNAMI WAVE ACTION THE ALL CLEAR DETERMINATIONS MUST BE MADE BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

An earthquake occurred around 11:20 p.m. Tuesday near Anchorage. No tsunami danger has been reported. According to the National Weather Service, the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 4.1 and it was located about 35 miles deep. The earthquake was centered about 30 miles southwest of Palmer and 15 miles north of Anchorage; some residents from both cities reported feeling the temblor. Contact Jessica Ridgway  

After months of waiting, the State of Alaska and four other west coast states will soon receive $250,000 to help with tsunami relief. Last fall, the Japanese government issued a $5 million grant to the United States to help with the monitoring, recovery and cleanup of an estimated 1.5 billion tons of marine debris after the 2011 tsunami. The money will be dispersed by NOAA, with the remaining funds expected to be issued based on an application process. Alaska officials say the state applied for an additional $750,000, a number they say is merely a drop in the bucket, due to the challenges cleanup crews face here in Alaska.

Wednesday marked the 49th anniversary of the 1964 earthquake that rocked Alaska, generating a deadly tsunami after the 9.2 magnitude temblor. Some 115 Alaskans died on that Good Friday, mostly due to waves, with another 15 deaths reported in Oregon and California. The anniversary is prompting longtime Alaskans to remember the quake. Roberta Carney, the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency management's deputy director, was just 5 years old-- but she recalls the day vividly.

This year marks the 49 th anniversary of the largest earthquake to ever hit Alaska, the second largest ever recorded. The date is being marked with a test of the Tsunami Warning system. Several agencies including The National Weather Service and the Division of Home Land Security will begin a live test of the Tsunami Warning system around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday. The live test will use the same procedures that would be used in the event of a real emergency. The alert will originate in Palmer at the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center and be transmitted using several methods, including the Emergency Alert System and NOAA Weather Band frequencies.

Tsunami Info Stmt: M4.2 030Mi NW Anchorage, Alaska 1305AKDT Mar 10: Tsunami NOT expected #WCATWC - NWS Tsunami Alerts (@NWS_WCATWC) March 10, 2013 An earthquake jolted areas in Southcentral Alaska, including Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley, on Sunday afternoon. The quake hit around 1:05 p.m. Sunday and had a preliminary magnitude of 4.2, according to the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center. The Palmer-based center said there was no tsunami danger due to the earthquake.

A 4.2 magnitude earthquake occurred just before 8:30 a.m., according to the National Weather Service. NWS officials state that the quake centered 30 miles west of Anchorage and 60 miles southwest of Palmer. A tsunami warning was not issued for this earthquake.   Contact Jessica Ridgway  

UPDATE: The National Weather Service issued this update at 3:48 a.m. Sunday AK time: ...THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS CANCELED FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA FROM GUALALA POINT CALIFORNIA/LOCATED 80 MILES NW OF SAN FRANCISCO/ TO THE OREGON CALIFORNIA BORDER... EVALUATION THE TSUNAMI THREAT HAS DIMINISHED FOR ALASKA/ BRITISH COLUMBIA/ WASHINGTON/ OREGON OR CALIFORNIA. HOWEVER... SOME AREAS MAY EXPERIENCE NON-DAMAGING SEA LEVEL CHANGES. AS LOCAL CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE A WIDE VARIATION IN TSUNAMI WAVE ACTION THE ALL CLEAR DETERMINATIONS MUST BE MADE BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.