A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Alaska‘s Aleutian Islands early Monday, stirring concerns of a potential tsunami among residents on the mainland.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) detected a 5.2-magnitude quake at 1am local time (5:02am ET) near the uninhabited community of Nikolski.
Less than two hours later, the USGS recorded a 4.8-magnitude aftershock in the same region.
While no immediate tsunami warning was issued, local authorities and residents remained on edge as they assessed the potential risks.
According to the USGS, there is a 60 percent chance of a 3-magnitude or greater earthquake near the epicenter in the next week, along with a two percent chance of another 5-magnitude or stronger quake.
The Alaska Earthquake Center confirmed that the recent quakes were triggered by the Aleutian megathrust, a major subduction zone where the Pacific Plate is forced beneath the North American Plate, generating significant seismic activity.
‘It is a seismically active region, evidenced by the thousands of earthquakes occurring each year,’ the center said.
The USGS noted that the quake had a depth of 6.2 miles, which typically produces stronger shaking at the surface than deeper quakes of similar magnitude.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) detected a 5.2 magnitude quake (shown in blue) at 1am local time (5:02am ET) in Nikolski
Because Nikolski is scarcely populated, no shaking reports were submitted to the USGS.
Regardless, the tremors brought back memories of the 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia in July, which prompted Alaska officials to issue a tsunami alert.
That event struck about 84 miles east-southeast of Kamchatska and was the sixth-strongest earthquake ever recorded in the region.
It was also considered the strongest quake worldwide in 14 years, since the 9.1-magnitude megaquake in northeast Japan that left nearly 20,000 people dead or missing.
During the July quake, tsunami warnings were issued for communities along the Aleutian Chain, including Atka, Adak and the Pribilofs, with alerts extending to Hawaii and parts of the US West Coast.
The alert was eventually lifted, and officials reported the largest wave in Alaska measured just 2.7 feet.
On July 17, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck just south of the Alaska Peninsula near the Shumagin Islands, southeast of Sand Point.
Officials warned of potential tsunami impacts across southwestern Alaska, including coastal communities from Kennedy Entrance near Homer to Unimak Pass near Unalaska, with additional risk to Kodiak Island, the Alaska Peninsula, and parts of the eastern Aleutian Islands.
Thousand of Americans along Alaska’s coastline raced to higher ground on July 17, abandoning their homes after a major earthquake triggered a tsunami warning
Despite its sparse population of roughly 17,000 residents, communities were put on alert through blaring sirens.
Rachel Lord, mayor of Homer, described the scramble to safety: ‘Initially there was a lot of bumper-to-bumper traffic and people just trying to get, you know, to get off the spit,’ she said.
Dramatic images from the area showed an eerily bare shoreline, as the ocean briefly receded, a classic warning sign of an impending tsunami.
David Snider, a tsunami warning coordinator at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), confirmed that a small tsunami had been generated by the July quake.
‘A tsunami was generated by this event, but no longer poses a threat,’ he said, noting that some areas may continue to experience minor sea-level changes, approximately three inches.
As panic spread across coastal communities, officials opened emergency shelters at Kodiak High School and North Star Elementary School.
In Seward, a southern Alaska port town, one resident shared a video on X showing her fleeing the coastline after returning to Alaska for the first time in 25 years.
‘Just pray we don’t get waved,’ she says nervously, walking briskly with others toward higher ground before ending the recording.
Monday’s earthquake serves as a reminder of Alaska’s constant seismic vulnerability, particularly along the Aleutian megathrust.
While the quakes were moderate compared with previous massive events, residents remain vigilant for aftershocks or further activity in this highly active region.
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