The quake struck 155 miles south east of Chiniak on the southern Alaskan coast at a depth of six miles.
The tsunami warning is in place across the western coast of the US, from Alaska down to the California-Mexico border.
Hawaii and parts of Canada have also been issued with tsunami alerts.
Terrified residents have been told to take refuge on higher ground at 100ft in affected areas.
Officials in the city of Anchorage warned there is an “extraordinary threat to life or property”.
An official from the Kodiak police department also said there are “lives at stake”.
One bouy reported a 32 foot rise in water levels on the Tennessee coast shortly after the earthquake.
Locals in Anchorage said they were alerted to the danger by text messages.
Shaun Dyess said: “I’m here in Anchorage, Alaska. It was shaking for a long time. Hope no one got hurt.”
Gordy Armstrong added: “You grow accustomed to riding out the occasional earthquakes living up here in Anchorage…that one was different.
“Shook the house pretty good and just kept going. Hope the people down south are alright.”
Just called the Kodiak police department
— Nat Herz (@Nat_Herz) January 23, 2018
Unprompted: "If this is about the tsunami, going to ask you to get to higher ground."
"Can you talk to a reporter?"
"Keith, do we have time for a reporter right now."
"No"
"We're going to have to call you back. Lives at stake."
EPICENTRE: The quake struck 155 miles from the southern Alaskan coast
One Twitter user was woken by tsunami sirens in Kodiak.
Reports on social media suggest the tremors were felt as far south as Seattle and Vancouver.
The Pacfic Tsunami Warning Centre said that “widespread hazardous tsunami waves were possible”.
It added in a statement: “Based on all available data a tsunami may have been generated by this earthquake that could be destructive on coastal areas even far from the epicentre.
“An investigation is under way to determine if there is a tsunami threat to Hawaii.”
PANIC: Terrified residents have been told to take refuge on higher ground
Alaska is situated on the Ring of Fire, an area of the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions frequently occur.
Wow 8.0 people! #alaska #earthquake #rollinginthewind pic.twitter.com/q8oxBG6niu
— AK Bliss‼️ (@misswendybliss) January 23, 2018
The 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 is also monitoring the situation.
It comes just hours after a 6.4 magnitude quake rocked Indonesia's capital Jakarta.
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