Tsunami from Chilean Quake Measured in Inches in Alaska

Jay Barrett/KMXT

The magnitude 8.3 earthquake off the coast of Chile yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon did create two tsunami waves over five feet, one of them over 16 feet, both of which hit the South American country. 

Tsunami watches were put into effect in parts of Southern California and parts of Hawaii. No watch, warning or advisory was made for any part of Alaska.

However, very slight increases in wave height were recorded by the National Tsunami Center in several coastal Alaska communities. The highest were seen in Nikolski and King Cove at six-tenths of a foot, or 7.2 inches.

Port Alexander, in Southeast, along with Sand Point and Seward experienced a three-tenths of a foot tsunami, or 3.6-inches. Unalaska, Atka and Yakutat saw a wave height increase of two-tenths of a foot, or 2.4-inches.

All were measured in Alaska after 9:45 this (Thursday) morning.

The National Tsunami Center said the tsunamis at each location were measured as the observed height of the water level above the tide level at the time of arrival.