LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A tsunami watch for the West Coast was issued today in response to a magnitude 7.9 earthquake in Alaska but later cancelled when it became clear that no huge waves would materialize.
Until the cancellation, the watch issued by the National Tsunami Warning Center covered the coast from the California border with Mexico to the Washington border with British Columbia. California, Oregon and Washington state were included
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake occurred at 12:31 a.m. -- 1:31 a.m. California time -- at a depth of about 6 miles, its epicenter 175 miles southeast of Kodiak City.
Any tsunami resulting from the quake would have hit Los Angeles at 6:50 a.m. and Newport Beach 10 minutes later, according to the National Weather Service.
NWS meteorologist Andrew Rorke had said that if such a wave materialized, ``boats in harbor will go nuts'' but extensive coastal flooding would be unlikely.
But the quake was of the slip-strike variety and not capable of generating a tsunami, said NWS meteorologist Curt Kaplan.
Only a tsunami advisory applying to the Alaska coast remained this morning, he said.
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