Latest news with #Seward
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Powerful 7.3 earthquake rocks Alaska — scientists say more are coming
A powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck offshore of Alaska's Peninsula region on July 16, 2025, at 12:37 PM local time, prompting immediate tsunami warnings and evacuations across multiple coastal communities. Hitting 55 miles south of Sand Point, Alaska, the earthquake was felt across a vast area, extending from the immediate epicenter to major cities like Anchorage and Juneau. The earthquake's effects varied dramatically across Alaska's expansive coastline. In tiny Sand Point, the closest community to the epicenter with about 600 residents, locals reported objects flying from pantries and shelves as the ground shook violently. Homer residents described the motion as "mild rolling" with lamps and plants swaying gently. Despite the significant magnitude, luckily, no major structural damage has been reported in communities nearest to the earthquake's source. Alaska tsunami warning issued — then revoked The human response was swift and coordinated. Within minutes of the earthquake, the National Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning covering a 700-mile stretch of Alaska's southern coast. Communities from Sand Point to Unalaska quickly activated evacuation procedures, with residents moving to higher ground as a precautionary measure. Video footage on social media showed orderly evacuations in Seward, where tourists and locals alike walked uphill to safety zones. (Alaskan residents are pretty good at this by now!) "We have seen other earthquakes in the area that have not generated significant tsunami waves, but we're treating it seriously and going through our procedures," explained Jeremy Zidek, spokesperson for Alaska's emergency management division. The tsunami warning initially covered communities from 40 miles southwest of Homer to Unimak Pass, affecting major population centers including Kodiak (population 5,200), King Cove (870 residents), and Unalaska (4,100 residents). The U.S. Coast Guard evacuated personnel at its Kodiak base to higher ground as a precautionary measure. Fortunately, the Alaska earthquake generated only minimal water level changes and damage reports remained surprisingly minimal. Sand Point Police Chief Benjamin Allen confirmed no damage to critical infrastructure, including the airport and harbor. The most notable damage occurred at the Alaska Commercial general store, where about half of the alcohol aisle crashed to the floor, creating what manager Vickey McDonald described as a "horrendous" smell from broken bottles of barbecue sauce, pickles, and other liquids. This limited damage pattern reflects both Alaska's experience with seismic activity and the earthquake's offshore location, which reduced the intensity of ground shaking in populated areas. The warning system also worked as designed — officials downgraded the tsunami warning to an advisory within an hour, and completely canceled all alerts by 2:45 PM. The advisory system warned people to stay away from beaches and waterways until the all-clear was given. More earthquakes possible — even likely Naturally, travelers and residents should prepare for continued seismic activity in the region. The U.S. Geological Survey's Aftershock Forecast indicates that at least one magnitude 6 or greater earthquake is possible within the next week, with smaller earthquakes highly likely to continue for the foreseeable future. This prediction reflects the nature of major earthquakes, which typically generate extended sequences of aftershocks as surrounding rock formations adjust to their new stress patterns. While most aftershocks will be smaller than the main event, some can still be significant enough to cause additional concern. For travelers planning visits to Alaska's southern coast, it's important to understand that this region remains seismically active. The Alaska Earthquake Center works continuously with communities to provide tsunami hazard information and evacuation procedures. Visitors should familiarize themselves with local emergency procedures and evacuation routes, particularly in coastal areas. Lastly, this Alaska earthquake serves as a reminder of the state's position in one of the world's most seismically active regions. The strongest earthquake ever recorded in North America occurred in this area in March 1964, when a 9.2-magnitude earthquake devastated Anchorage and generated a tsunami that killed more than 250 people. Modern monitoring systems and community preparedness have significantly improved since then, as demonstrated by the coordinated response to yesterday's event. The Alaska Earthquake Center provides ongoing monitoring and community education, helping ensure that future earthquakes can be managed with the same effectiveness demonstrated during this latest event. Hopefully, we can stay lucky into the future.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Alaska tsunami warning sends community scrambling for high ground after 7.3 magnitude earthquake
A tsunami warning in Alaska has forced local communities to evacuate to higher ground following a 7.3 magnitude earthquake. Footage shared by Jodie Stevens on Thursday (16 July) shows her and other Seward residents walking up a steep hill towards a church as rain plummets down, with Stevens telling the camera: 'Let's pray we don't get waved.' A warning was issued for a 700-mile stretch of the Alaskan coast after the huge quake hit south of Sand Point on Popof Island on Wednesday (15 July). The Alaska Earthquake Center said there were 40 aftershocks within three hours. Officials later downgraded then cancelled the tsunami warning. There were no reports of significant damage.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'World's largest' time capsule opened in Nebraska 50 years later
SEWARD, Neb. — Treasures from 1975, sealed inside what the World Record Academy once called the 'world's largest time capsule,' went on display Friday, drawing hundreds of people from across the country to catch a glimpse of relics from the past. Thousands of letters, pet rocks, artwork, a groovy teal suit and even a yellow Chevy Vega had been preserved inside the capsule — a portal to another era — for half a century. 'This is the culmination of 50 years of planning on the part of my father,' Trish Davisson Johnson said. 'My father, Harold Davisson, wanted to wait for his grandchildren to remember life in 1975. He was a big proponent of life. He did everything big,' she told NBC News. Back then, sealing the items was a logistical feat. Fisher said her father created a ventilation system to keep moisture out. In 1983, after they learned they had lost the world record from the World Record Academy, the family added a pyramid atop the capsule to recapture the title. 'There were packages from, I'm going to say, 3,000 people, letters and packages, letters to themselves, letters to the grandchildren, letters to their heirs,' Davisson said. Inside, some items fared better than others. 'A lot of the other packages that were wrapped in plastic have come out very, very well, but we have a layer of mold-type items on the outside of all the paper and cardboard. But again, I would say about 80% of the people are going to be able to get their items back, and 20% are going to be disappointed,' Davisson said. Stephanie Fisher traveled from Colorado with her parents to retrieve their artifact, a cassette tape that contains voice messages from members of her family. 'My parents didn't think that they would be here 50 years later to retrieve it with us. So it's pretty special to know that their voices [are] in there that I haven't heard in a long time,' Fisher said, filled with emotion. Chris Galen made the journey from Virginia. 'I made a mental note that in 50 years if I was still alive — because I'd be in my 60s then — I would want to come back here and be part of the opening,' he said. Despite the thousands of letters that need to be sorted, Galen was able to find one from his mother. 'I hope you had a good education, a happy and successful life, rich in many ways,' he read from the letter. 'I'm hoping as she's looking down on us from somewhere that I can report back to her that a lot of the things she wanted for me and for my brother came true,' Galen said. Clark Kolterman, who was there in 1975, put his wedding invitation in the capsule. 'I can't believe they found it,' he said, surrounded by his children. 'I have to thank Mr. Davisson for his insight. And you know, his idea wasn't perfect, but it worked, and as a result it's been very successful,' Kolterman said. Trish said that she believes her father would be very proud of Friday's celebration and that she has learned a lot in the 50 years since the capsule was sealed. 'Life is too short. You're going to hit an age where you want more time and you know you don't have it,' she said. She said she plans to create a permanent display for the capsule to help future generations remember 1975. Galen said the message goes deeper than artifacts. 'It's not about what's inside of it. It's about what's inside of us and who we were back in '75 and who we are today,' he said. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'World's largest' time capsule opened in Nebraska 50 years later
SEWARD, Neb. — Treasures from 1975, sealed inside what the World Record Academy once called the 'world's largest time capsule,' went on display Friday, drawing hundreds from across the country to catch a glimpse of relics from the past. Thousands of letters, pet rocks, artwork, a groovy teal suit and even a yellow Chevy Vega had been preserved inside the capsule — a portal to another era — for half a century. 'This is the culmination of 50 years of planning on the part of my father,' Trish Davisson Fisher said. 'My father, Harold Davisson, wanted to wait for his grandchildren to remember life in 1975. He was a big proponent of life. He did everything big,' she told NBC News. Back then, sealing the items was a logistical feat. Fisher said her father created a ventilation system in an attempt to keep moisture out. In 1983, after learning they had lost the world record from the World Record Academy, the family added a pyramid atop the capsule to recapture the title. 'There were packages from, I'm going to say, 3,000 people, letters and packages, letters to themselves, letters to the grandchildren, letters to their heirs,' Davisson said. But inside, some items fared better than others. 'A lot of the other packages that were wrapped in plastic have come out very, very well, but we have a layer of mold-type items on the outside of all the paper and cardboard. But again, I would say about 80% of the people are going to be able to get their items back, and 20% are going to be disappointed,' Davisson said. Stephanie Fisher, who is not related to Trish, traveled from Colorado with her parents to retrieve their artifact, a cassette tape that contains voice messages from members of her family. 'My parents didn't think that they would be here 50 years later to retrieve it with us. So it's pretty special to know that their voices [are] in there that I haven't heard in a long time,' Fisher said, filled with emotion. Chris Galen made the journey from Virginia. 'I made a mental note that in 50 years if I was still alive — because I'd be in my 60s then — I would want to come back here and be part of the opening,' he told NBC News. Despite the thousands of letters that need to be sorted, Galen was able to find one from his mother. 'I hope you had a good education, a happy and successful life, rich in many ways,' he read from the letter. 'I'm hoping as she's looking down on us from somewhere that I can report back to her that a lot of the things she wanted for me and for my brother came true,' Galen said. Clark Kolterman, who was there in 1975, put his wedding invitation in the capsule. 'I can't believe they found it,' he said, surrounded by his children. 'I have to thank Mr. Davisson for his insight. And you know, his idea wasn't perfect, but it worked, and as a result it's been very successful,' Kolternman said. Trish said she believes her father would be very proud of Friday's celebration and that she's learned a lot in the 50 years since the capsule was sealed. 'Life is too short. You're going to hit an age where you want more time and you know you don't have it,' she said. She said she plans on creating a permanent display for the capsule to help future generations remember the year 1975. Galen said the message goes deeper than artifacts. 'It's not about what's inside of it. It's about what's inside of us and who we were back in '75, and who we are today,' he said. This article was originally published on
The Drive
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Brand New 1975 Chevy Vega Emerges From World's Largest Time Capsule After 50 Years
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Locals in Seward, Nebraska, sealed a time capsule on July 4, 1975. It was the world's largest back then, and it still is according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Inside it were more than 5,000 items, from personal letters and Pet Rocks to larger objects like a Kawasaki motorcycle and even a buried-when-new Chevrolet Vega. Nearly 50 years to the date, on June 26, the city of Seward cracked that sucker open and found the Vega in amazingly solid condition. While the Bowtie was stored out of the elements for those 50 years, it wasn't in some hermetically sealed environment. A photo posted by the Seward County Independent shows the Vega with a simple plastic tarp lying over top of it. Through the sheet, you can spot a few rust spots on the hood, as well as a license plate that says '2025.' Pretty neat stuff, really. It's fair to say that the Vega held up better than the Toyota Corolla that was stored atop the time capsule in a somewhat weatherproof pyramid from 1983 until 2024. Seward citizens opened that up during last year's Fourth of July celebration. 'All the good stuff is in the time capsule down below,' explained Trish Johnson to KETV Omaha . Her father, Harold Davisson, originally buried the 45-ton vault during Gerald Ford's presidency. 'By putting a pyramid on top, it preserved what was below it.' The problem was, they couldn't figure out how to open the time capsule without removing the pyramid. That's why they cut it prematurely, labeling it their 'dress rehearsal' for the full unveiling in 2025. It apparently took six hours to get the job done. From here, the plan is to give the Vega a solid tune-up and drive it in the town's Fourth of July parade, which might be the best news I've heard all year. Just about every example of the Ford Pinto rival that's still around today could use some love, though I'm afraid those that spent the last 50 years above ground haven't fared nearly as well. Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@
