ADAK, Alaska – A 7.8 earthquake off the coast of Russia has triggered a Tsunami Advisory for the Aleutian Islands in Alaska on Thursday.
The quake struck just before 11 a.m. Alaska Daylight Time (3 p.m. ET) and was centered about 90 miles east of Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Russia Earthquake on Sept. 18, 2026.
(FOX Weather)
A Tsunami Advisory stretches from Amchitka Pass, Alaska, (about 125 miles west of Adak) to Attu, Alaska.
A massive undersea earthquake struck off the coast of Russia’s Far East on Friday, prompting U.S. authorities to issue a tsunami advisory for parts of coastal Alaska.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake registered a magnitude of 7.9 and struck near the Kuril Islands region, an area known for high seismic activity. The quake’s depth was estimated at about 25 miles (40 kilometers) below the surface, strong enough to trigger regional tsunami monitoring systems.
The National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) in Palmer, Alaska, confirmed that a tsunami advisory was issued for coastal communities stretching from Attu Island in the Aleutians to parts of southern Alaska. While a full-scale tsunami warning was not declared, authorities cautioned residents to stay away from beaches, harbors, and low-lying coastal areas until further notice.
So far, there have been no immediate reports of damage in Alaska or Russia, but emergency officials are closely monitoring sea-level gauges across the Pacific. Small waves, less than one foot, were already recorded along some Aleutian Island shorelines shortly after the quake.
Local authorities in Alaska urged residents to remain alert. Some schools in coastal communities announced early dismissals and precautionary closures, while emergency shelters were put on standby.
Seismologists noted that this quake struck near the same region as a powerful earthquake earlier this summer, which also prompted tsunami advisories for Alaska. Experts say the region’s location along the volatile Pacific “Ring of Fire” makes it one of the most seismically active zones in the world.
As of Friday afternoon, tsunami advisories had not been extended to Hawaii, California, or other U.S. West Coast states, though monitoring continues.
Residents are encouraged to check updates from the National Weather Service (NWS), the NTWC, and local emergency management agencies for the latest advisories.
Any tsunami waves would reach Shemya around 12:20 p.m. AKDT (4:20 p.m. ET)
A Tsunami Advisory is a lower-rung alert for a tsunami, issued when small waves may impact an area. Strong currents could be dangerous to those in or near the water, and minor flooding of beaches and harbors is possible.
No other U.S. or Canadian continental locations are in an alert zone, according to the U.S. Tsunami Warning Center. However, the agency is warning there could be tsunami waves of 3-9 feet (1-3 meters) along some parts of the Russian coast.
The quake is likely an aftershock of the historic 8.8 earthquake that struck on July 29, sending tsunami alerts across much of the Pacific Ocean. While some minor waves were reported in Hawaii along the U.S. West Coast, there was no significant damage reported.
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