Tsunami warning issued for US Pacific Northwest, Alaska

SAN FRANCISCO - The US National Weather Service has issued a warning for coastal areas of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit the west coast of Canada Saturday night.

The US weather service said "no destructive widespread tsunami threat exists based on historical earthquake and tsunami data." The West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center has also issued a regional warning for coasts located near the epicenter.

According to the local tsunami warning service, the warning is for low-lying coastal area from the north tip of Vancouver Island in Canada to southern Alaska, northern California, Oregon and Washington.

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake hit Queen Charlotte Islands, Canada, with the epicenter at a depth of 17.5 km. A 5.8-magnitude aftershock was felt south of Masset, Canada, minutes later.