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Magnitude 7.9 earthquake strikes off the coast of Alaska

Posted at 5:26 AM, Jan 23, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-23 07:42:03-05

Magnitude 7.9 earthquake strikes 175 miles southeast of Kodiak, Alaska; tsunami warning issued.

The quake had a depth of about 6 miles, according to USGS.

A tsunami warning is in effect for southeast and south Alaska, including the Alaska Peninsula, Aleutian islands and British Columbia in Canada. A tsunami watch is in effect for California, Oregon and Washington, according to the Tsunami Warning Center.

Heather Rand, who was in Anchorage, Alaska, told CNN that the earthquake "was a slow roller, so it was felt for at least a minute before the real rolling started. Nothing fell off the walls and I didn't have to wake my kiddo."

She said it felt like the longest earthquake she had ever experienced.

"It was a very long, slow build up. Creepy, more than anything. Definitely the longest, and I was born here," Rand said. She reported no damage besides cracks in the drywall.