Earthquake Strikes Alaska: 7.3 Magnitude Triggers Tsunami Alert

() Residents in Alaska were told to seek higher ground on Wednesday after a 7.3-magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami warning.

Sirens blared and alerts were sent out in southcentral and southwest Alaska after the tremor struck at 12:38 p.m. local time.

The warning followed a 7.3-magnitude earthquake along the Aleutians near Sand Cove, according to Alaska News Source.

The National Tsunami Warning Center issued the following warning Wednesday afternoon: “A TSUNAMI WARNING is posted for portions of Alaska following a M7.2 earthquake 50 miles S of Sand Point, Alaska, at 12:38pm AKDT July 16.”

It was downgraded to an advisory, the NTWC announced, for South Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula, including the Pacific coasts from Kennedy Entrance, AK to Unimak Pass, Alaska.

Police in Homer warned residents to head to higher ground as they awaited word on the threat.

By Wednesday late afternoon local time, the Homer Police Department said on its Facebook page that it got “the all clear.”