A major earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 initially triggered a tsunami warning for the southern Alaska Peninsula. It was later downgraded to an advisory.

A powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck off Alaska's Aleutian Islands on Wednesday, prompting a tsunami warning and calls for coastal residents to seek higher ground, though officials later confirmed no significant damage or injuries.

But now, looming GOP-led funding cuts are concerning media allies that local public broadcasters would be forced to downsize or shutter, damaging news operations and hurting locals’ ability to get timely emergency alerts like the one issued in Alaska.

Wednesday's magnitude 7.3 earthquake off Alaska's Aleutian Islands chain struck in a region that has experienced a handful of powerful quakes within the last five years.

The quake that struck Alaska’s southern coast on Wednesday, July 16 is part of a larger sequence that may continue to unfold in destructive ways.