A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the Alaska peninsula on Saturday night, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), prompting a tsunami warning. The seismic event occurred at 10:48 p.m. local time on Saturday (0648 GMT on Sunday), near the small town of Sand Point, approximately 55 miles (89 kilometers) southwest of the epicenter.
The National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska, immediately issued a warning for the south of Alaska and the Alaska peninsula. The potential tsunami risk for other coastal areas of the United States and Canada in North America is currently under assessment.
Alaska, situated within the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, frequently experiences significant seismic activity. In March 1964, a colossal 9.2-magnitude earthquake rocked the region, marking the most powerful ever recorded in North America.
The tremor inflicted severe devastation upon Anchorage and triggered a devastating tsunami that battered the Gulf of Alaska, the west coast of the United States, and even Hawaii. Tragically, more than 250 lives were claimed by the combined forces of the earthquake and the ensuing tsunami.