“It Was Like a Jet Underground”: Massive 8.2 Earthquake Shakes Alaska, Triggers Tsunami Alert
Eyewitnesses reported strange tremors and eerie flashes in the sky just moments before the ground erupted. Along Alaska’s southern coast,
residents described a low, rumbling sound — “like a jet roaring underground” — seconds before buildings began to sway. In a flash, calm turned to chaos as sirens wailed and families scrambled for higher ground.
What started as a faint vibration quickly revealed itself as one of the most powerful earthquakes in recent memory: a colossal 8.2-magnitude tremor that sent shockwaves across the Pacific.
The Quake and Its Impact
The quake struck late Wednesday night, 91 kilometers (56 miles) east-southeast of Perryville, at a depth of 35 kilometers (21.7 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The shaking was so intense that it was felt hundreds of miles away, rattling nerves and buildings alike.
Emergency sirens activated across towns like Kodiak, where surveillance and cellphone footage showed streams of headlights racing away from the coast. Schools, fire stations, and churches opened their doors as impromptu evacuation centers.
The National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) issued immediate alerts for southern Alaska, covering a vast area from Hinchinbrook Entrance to Unimak Pass. Tsunami watches briefly extended as far as Hawaii and Guam, but were later canceled after further monitoring revealed no significant wave activity in those regions.
Preparedness Saves Lives
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy confirmed the activation of the State Emergency Operations Center, urging residents to remain alert and to continue following local emergency guidance.
Despite the earthquake’s magnitude, no major damage or casualties were reported in the initial hours, a result many credited to Alaska’s stringent seismic building codes and regular disaster preparedness drills.
“This is exactly why we prepare,” said one local emergency coordinator in Anchorage. “We’re lucky — but we’re also ready.”
A Night of Aftershocks
The USGS logged at least eight aftershocks, including two powerful quakes above magnitude 6.0. These continued into the early morning, keeping nerves frayed and emergency crews on high alert.
In communities along the coast, many families opted to remain in shelters overnight, wary of returning home too soon.
Seismologists emphasized that strong aftershocks could persist for days, and warned residents to remain cautious, especially near vulnerable coastal zones and landslide-prone areas.
🔹 Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call Beneath the Ring of Fire
Though Alaska appears to have escaped catastrophic damage this time, the earthquake is a sobering reminder of the region’s place atop the volatile Pacific “Ring of Fire” — a seismic zone responsible for some of the most destructive quakes and tsunamis in modern history.
As scientists continue to monitor the region, one truth remains clear: in a place where the earth itself is constantly shifting, preparedness is the difference between disaster and survival.
Alaska may be shaken — but it is not broken.