Alaska earthquake PANIC: Cars queue as people desperately try to escape tsunami warning

The NWS almost instantly sent warning messages to mobile phones in Alaska, warning of the dangers of the tsunami.

The NWS warning said: “Tsunami danger on the coast. Go to high ground or move inland. Listen to local news – NWS.”

The Alaska earthquake triggered the tsunami warning siren to go off in the city of Kodiak, Alaska.

Video captured the desperate attempts of people trying to reach safety after the tsunami warning was issued.

With people being told to travel to higher ground with the threat of a tsunami looming, panicked residents queued in carparks as they desperately tired to escape.

Other social media video captured the moment concerned residents made their way to safety while the siren rings out.

The NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that, based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, “widespread hazardous tsunami waves were possible”.

A buoy has recorded a wave of 10-metres (32ft) just northeast of the epicentre of the Alaska earthquake.

Experts suggest the first waves could start hitting from 1.45 am, in the town of Kodiak.

A map from the tsunami warning system showed the travel times for any potential waves.

According to their estimates, any tsunami would take at least three hours to strike the lower 49 states.

Only four earthquakes with a greater magnitude have ever been recorded in the USA.

And all of them were in Alaska, causing a tsunami on each occasion.

The most powerful earthquake was on March 27, 1964, when a 9.2 magnitude quake killed 139 people.

People in areas at risk from the tsunami threat have been warned of the dangers by text message.

Those in affected areas have been urged to seek high ground.

In a warning for Alaska and British Columbia, Anchorage Office of Emergency Management said: “If you are located in this coastal area, move inland to higher ground. Tsunami warnings mean that a tsunami with significant inundation is possible or is already occurring.”

Japan’s meteorological agency said it was monitoring the situation but has not issued a tsunami alert.