The BBC reports that a 7.9-magnitude quake was recorded south-east of Kodiak at around 9.30 UK time on Tuesday morning. A tsunami alert was issued for the coasts of British Colombia and Alaska while the US west coast and Hawaii were placed on tsunami watch.
Sky News adds that only four earthquakes of a greater magnitude have been recorded in the US, all of which were in Alaska and all caused a tsunami.
US forecasters have reported that a weather buoy rose 32 feet shortly after the undersea eruption. Residents in the Alaskan capital Anchorage have been told to move to higher ground.
