Alaska Earthquake Early Warning: $34.9M Funding Approved for ShakeAlert System

Alaska is a step closer to joining the West Coast in receiving seconds of warning before an earthquake strikes, thanks to recently approved federal funding. The initial phases of implementing the ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system will begin this year, though full operational capability remains several years away and depends on sustained financial support.

At least $2 million of the $34.9 million allocated by Congress to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for continued development and expansion of ShakeAlert will be directed toward incorporating Alaska into the network. The initial focus will be on the Anchorage, Fairbanks, Kodiak, and Prince William Sound regions, encompassing approximately 90% of the state’s population, according to the USGS.

“Here’s outstanding news for Alaska,” said Michael West, state seismologist and director of the Alaska Earthquake Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute. “Bringing earthquake early warning to Alaska has been a lengthy joint effort of the Alaska Earthquake Center and our partners at the U.S. Geological Survey.”

Senator Lisa Murkowski played a key role in securing the funding, West noted. “I thank Sen. Murkowski for her years of effort that have gotten us to this starting point. It’s past time to build this capability that exists in other West Coast states,” he said.

Murkowski, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and chair of its subcommittee overseeing the USGS, emphasized the importance of timely warnings. “When earthquakes hit, seconds matter,” she stated. “The ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System provides lifesaving tools that detect earthquakes in real time and issue alerts throughout the hazard zone.”

The ShakeAlert system, currently operational in California since 2019 and in Oregon and Washington since 2021, utilizes a network of seismic sensors to detect the initial, faster-moving P-waves of an earthquake. This allows for the estimation of the quake’s location and magnitude before the slower, more destructive S-waves arrive, providing a brief window for protective actions.

The USGS developed ShakeAlert in collaboration with researchers from the University of California, Berkeley; the California Institute of Technology; and the University of Washington. The expansion to Alaska follows a technical implementation plan published by the USGS in February 2025.

Ronni Grapenthin, a professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, highlighted the engineering challenges involved. “Earthquake early warning is predominantly an engineering problem,” he said. “We accept what we can learn about earthquakes, and we try to speed it up.” Grapenthin previously contributed to the development of ShakeAlert while at UC Berkeley, integrating real-time GPS data into a prototype system.

Alaska’s implementation will require a network of 450 real-time Advanced National Seismic System stations. Currently, 20 stations exist within the state; 270 new stations will be added, and 160 existing stations will be upgraded. The estimated cost for completing this phase is approximately $66 million (in 2024 dollars), with ongoing operational costs projected at $12 million annually.

West stressed the need for continued state investment. “Moving forward, state investment is critical,” he said. “States are best positioned to lead public awareness campaigns and the integration of earthquake alerts with state and local emergency management systems.”

The system too incorporates Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers, including GPS, to rapidly characterize large earthquakes and measure surface displacements, which can be significant during major seismic events.