Major news agencies are reporting that a powerful earthquake measured at a magnitude of 8.2 struck off the southern coast of Alaska early Tuesday, spurring tsunami warnings.
AFP, quoting the US Geological Survey, said the quake struck at 0931 GMT in the Gulf of Alaska, 280 kilometers (175 miles) southeast of the town of Kodiak. The epicenter was 10 kilometers under the seabed.
Tsunami warnings were issued for Alaska and the west coast of Canada, the National Tsunami Warning Center said.
Less-serious tsunami watches were issued for the US West Coast — the entire coasts of California and Oregon and part of Washington state.
In Alaska, authorities urged coast dwellers to seek safety. But there are reportedly no signs, so far, of tsunami activity.
“If you are located in this coastal area, move inland to higher ground,” the Anchorage Office of Emergency Management said.
Volcano erupts in Japan
Separately in Japan, the Asahi Shimbun reports that an eruption at Mount Kusatsu-Shiranesan on Tuesday killed one person and injured at least nine others, including Self-Defense Force members training at a nearby ski resort.