In a late-night occurrence on Saturday, a seismic event of immense proportions, measuring 7.4 on the seismic magnitude scale, shook the Alaska peninsula, according to reports from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The epicenter of the shallow earthquake was situated approximately 55 miles (89 kilometers) southwest of the quaint town of Sand Point, with the disturbance originating at 10:48 p.m. on Saturday (0648 GMT on Sunday). Responding swiftly to the situation, the National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska issued a tsunami warning encompassing the southern regions of Alaska and the Alaska peninsula. The evaluation of the potential tsunami hazard for other coastal areas along the Pacific coasts of the United States and Canada in North America is currently underway.
Alaska, occupying a prominent position within the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, has become familiar with substantial seismic activity. In March 1964, the region was struck by an awe-inspiring 9.2-magnitude earthquake, which still holds the record as the most forceful ever documented in North America. This catastrophic event left Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska, in ruins, while a devastating tsunami wreaked havoc upon the Gulf of Alaska, as well as the west coast of the United States and Hawaii. The combined destructive forces of the earthquake and tsunami claimed the lives of more than 250 individuals, leaving behind a trail of unimaginable tragedy.