Live intelligence tracking 1 recent earthquakes across Alaska, with active monitoring of south of Alaska and other seismic zones along the most tsunami-prone US coastline.
Live surface
Follow fresh quake markers in Alaska as they appear and use the sidebar to jump into the most relevant seismic updates.
Seismic events sorted by the latest updates — click any row for detail, magnitude, depth, and related coverage.
| Event | Severity |
|---|---|
🌍 M3.3 Earthquake - south of Alaska Magnitude 3.3 earthquake at depth of 21.4km. south of Alaska | LOW |
Seismic hotspots
Historic earthquakes
1964 Great Alaska earthquake · Aleutian & Alaska tsunami watches · Denali Fault: Alaska transform zone. These events shaped modern earthquake preparedness — from building codes and early warning systems to tsunami evacuation routes — across the region.
Fault systems
Where the Pacific Plate dives beneath the North American Plate along the 3,000 km Aleutian arc. The source of the 1964 Great Alaska M9.2 earthquake — the second-largest ever recorded — and multiple M8+ events in the 20th century. Slips at 5–7 cm/year.
Learn moreA right-lateral strike-slip fault system crossing the full width of interior Alaska from the Alaska Peninsula to the Yukon border. The 2002 M7.9 rupture — producing 340 km of surface offset — is studied as a textbook case of large continental strike-slip mechanics and infrastructure seismic design.
Learn moreThe Pacific–North American plate boundary running along the Southeast Alaska and British Columbia coast. Right-lateral transform motion at ~50 mm/year — one of the fastest-moving faults in North America. Capable of M8+ events and local tsunamis affecting Southeast Alaska coastal communities.
Learn moreA right-lateral strike-slip fault crossing within 60 km of Anchorage — Alaska's most populous city. Paleoseismic evidence shows it last ruptured about 700 years ago with a magnitude estimated at M7.0. Its proximity to Anchorage makes it a priority hazard for Southcentral Alaska urban planning.
Learn moreAleutian Subduction Zone — Pacific plate boundary · Denali Fault and 2002 rupture · Fairweather-Queen Charlotte Transform Zone. Understanding the dominant fault systems in the region is the foundation of earthquake preparedness — every safety protocol, building code, and early warning system is calibrated against these geologies.
Monitoring authorities
National (USA)
Maintains the ANSS Alaska catalog — the authoritative real-time earthquake database for the state. Issues ShakeMap, Did You Feel It, and PAGER loss assessments for significant events.
Live bulletinState (Alaska)
Operates the densest seismic network in Alaska — over 400 stations — and publishes real-time locations, waveforms, and seismicity reports for Alaskan events.
Live bulletinNational (USA) — tsunami warnings
Headquartered in Palmer, AK. Monitors seismic and sea-level data and issues tsunami watches, advisories, and warnings for the entire US Pacific coast, Alaska, Canada, and the Caribbean.
Live bulletinState (Alaska) — research and hazard mapping
Publishes seismic hazard maps, fault databases, tsunami inundation maps, and post-earthquake field surveys for Alaskan communities and infrastructure planners.
Live bulletinUSGS and ANSS Alaska catalog · Alaska Earthquake Center (UAF) · National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer. Bookmark these official feeds for real-time earthquake alerts, felt reports, and post-event damage assessments. The World Now cross-references their data for the live tracker above.
About this tracker
Alaska experiences more earthquakes than any other U.S. state — and it's not close. The state accounts for roughly 52% of all earthquakes recorded in the United States. The Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone, where the Pacific Plate dives beneath the North American Plate, generates thousands of earthquakes annually, including regular magnitude 5+ events and occasional magnitude 7+ events.
The 1964 Great Alaska earthquake (M9.2) remains the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in North America and the second-largest earthquake in the world since 1900. It generated a destructive tsunami and was felt across 1.3 million square kilometers. More recently, the 2018 Anchorage earthquake (M7.1) caused significant damage to roads and buildings, and the 2021 Chignik earthquake (M8.2) was the largest U.S. earthquake in 50 years.
Follow Alaska's intense seismic activity on our real-time earthquake tracker and see how it compares to other seismic zones on the live world map.
The Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone stretches over 3,400 kilometers from the Gulf of Alaska westward along the Aleutian Islands to the Kamchatka Peninsula. The Pacific Plate is being pushed beneath the North American Plate at about 6 centimeters per year — one of the fastest convergence rates on Earth — making this one of the most prolific earthquake-generating zones on the planet.
Different segments of this zone rupture independently, and seismologists have identified "seismic gaps" — sections that have not produced major earthquakes in a long time and are building stress. The Shumagin Gap partially ruptured in 2020 (M7.8), but other segments remain potential sites for future large earthquakes. The Cascadia and Alaska subduction zones together define the northern and eastern margins of the "Ring of Fire."
Frequently Asked Questions
Alaska averages about 50 earthquakes per day, though most are too small to be felt. The state records roughly 40,000 earthquakes per year, with about 1,000 reaching magnitude 3.0 or higher and several dozen reaching magnitude 5.0+.
Several segments of the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone are considered capable of producing magnitude 8+ earthquakes. The 2021 Chignik M8.2 earthquake partially relieved stress on one segment, but other segments, particularly near the central Aleutians, have not ruptured in over a century.
Alaska sits on the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone where the Pacific Plate is diving beneath the North American Plate at about 6 cm per year — one of the fastest convergence rates on Earth. This constant plate motion generates enormous stress that releases as earthquakes.
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Last updated 4/2/2026, 1:25:51 AM