Overview
- A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck 87 km south of Sand Point in the Shumagin Islands on July 16, according to the USGS.
- US authorities issued a tsunami warning covering more than 1,100 km of southwest Alaska’s coastline before canceling it less than two hours later.
- The USGS assessed that the risk of casualties or major damage was low given the region’s predominantly quake-resistant structures.
- Communities including Unalaska and Kodiak briefly activated sirens and evacuation protocols before standing down when the threat passed.
- Alaska’s location at the junction of the Pacific and North American plates makes it prone to powerful quakes, highlighted by a 9.2-magnitude event in 1964 and a 7.2-magnitude tremor in 2023.