A major tsunami warning was issued for parts of Alaska and Canada overnight, after a magnitude-7.9 quake struck in the Gulf of Alaska at a shallow depth of 25km.
Cars are seen on the streets from Kodiak High School in Alaska as people evacuate following the strong earthquake centered near the region, generating small tsunami waves along the south coast of the state. Photo: AFP
A major tsunami warning was issued for parts of Alaska and Canada overnight, after the quake struck in the Gulf of Alaska at a shallow depth of 25km.
Authorities warned of an extraordinary threat to life, and urged coastal residents in the affected areas to move to higher ground.
A tsunami watch was also issued for the entire west coast of the United States and the Hawaiian islands.
The warnings have now been cancelled, but thousands of people spent the night in evacuation centres 30m above sea level.
No injuries or significant damage have been reported in Alaska from the quake.
New Zealand's Civil Defence Ministry said there was no threat of tsunami to this country.
It said earlier there could be unusual sea activity here for a 24-hour period starting about midday, including strong currents and surges, but has since cancelled that advice.
No damage from quake
Kayla Des Roaches from Kodiak radio station KMXT told Morning Report it was a strong shake.
She said a big mountain in the centre of town which was gated off for the winter was opened up to let people get to higher ground.
There was "no damage" in Kodiak, Ms Des Roaches said.
"There won't be major after [shocks]" - Kayla Des Roaches
The quake hit 280km south-east of Kodiak, at a depth of 25km, at 12.31am local time, the US Geological Survey said.
The US National Weather Service (NWS) said tsunami waves of less than 300mm have been confirmed.
A lower-level advisory briefly remained in effect for south Alaska and the peninsula, before being lifted.
Waves between 120mm and 200mm had been recorded in Kodiak, Seward, Old Harbor, Sitka and Yakutat, the NWS said.
It said that tsunami waves of less than 300mm were expected in the town of Homer.
The latest advisory would be the last handed out, the service said - but still advised residents not to return to "hazard zones until local emergency officials indicate it is safe to do so".
Residents had earlier been told to seek high ground as sirens in several towns blared at around 01:00 on Tuesday. Four hours later, the all-clear was given.
Kodiak City Manager Mike Tvenge thanked residents for their orderly evacuations and told them to return home safely. Mayor Pat Branson said the warning centre had done an "excellent job".
Kodiak school district cancelled all classes on Tuesday because of the warning, telling students to remain home.
The weather service said an earlier tsunami warning had been cancelled "for the coastal areas of British Columbia, south-east Alaska and south Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula from The Wash./BC Border to Hinchinbrook Entrance, Alaska".
Many residents in Kodiak left by car in the middle of the night.
- BBC / RNZ