Tsunami warning issued after 7.2 magnitude earthquake near Alaska

A major earthquake off Alaska with a preliminary magnitude of 7.2 has triggered a tsunami warning for the state’s southern peninsula.

The tsunami warning was in effect Wednesday afternoon after the earthquake struck about 50 miles south of Sand Point, Alaska, at around 12:38 p.m. local time, according to the National Weather Service. The impacted areas spanned the Kennedy Entrance, a channel that connects the Gulf of Alaska to Cook Inlet, to Unimak Pass, which is just to the west of Unimak Island at the end of the peninsula. There was no danger to Anchorage, the state’s most populous city, as of 5:30 p.m. ET, NWS Anchorage said.

The quake was felt throughout the Alaska Peninsula and southern Alaska, according to the Alaska Earthquake Center.

Earlier in the day, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake also struck the region. It was located approximately 40 miles southeast of Atka Island, the earthquake center said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.