The past few weeks have seen a notable rise in attention to the possibility that Mount Spurr Volcano is nearing eruption, in part because of escalating seismicity.
Mid-day on Sunday, December 8, 2024, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake was recorded southwest of Atka Island in the western Aleutians (Figure 1). The earthquake triggered interest because of its significant size.
2024 Seismicity Year in Review
Alaska had a relatively quiet 2024 as far as numbers of seismic events, but several earthquake swarms kept things interesting. Even a “quiet” year, however, keeps the Earthquake Center busy:
Looking back 60 years: How the Great Alaska Earthquake compares
On March 27, 1964, at 5:36 p.m. local time, an earthquake of magnitude 9.2 initiated in the Prince William Sound region of Alaska. The Great Alaska Earthquake remains the second-largest ever recorded in the world.
Earthquakes reported in Alaska so far this year: 7470
