Alaska earthquake: Tsunami siren system failed after quake

A Kenai Peninsula Borough official says a siren system meant to warn residents in the event of a tsunami threat failed after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands, then sent a false alarm when the warning was canceled.

The borough's emergency management director says a tsunami warning sent by federal weather officials after the earthquake Thursday should have triggered the all-hazard sirens, but nothing went out.

Eric Mohrmann says when the warning was canceled, it triggered the sirens, which went off in areas such as Homer, Seward and Port Graham.

Homer police say a number of people called, asking when they could return home.

Mohrmann says it wasn't immediately clear why the sirens did not initially go off or why they were activated when the warning was canceled.