Tsunami Risk in Alaska

All Alaska counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index tsunami score

Tsunami risk — series of ocean waves triggered by undersea earthquakes or landslides — is rated for 18 of 30 Alaska counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Aleutians West Census Area carries the state's highest tsunami score at 87.7, with $20M in expected annual tsunami losses.

No Alaska county reaches the High band for tsunami, and expected annual losses from tsunami total roughly $50M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.

County Rankings — Tsunami

#CountyTsunami ScoreRatingAnn. Freq.Ann. Loss
1 Aleutians West Census Area
87.7
Medium 0.35 / yr $20M
2 Kenai Peninsula Borough
81.5
Medium 0.30 / yr $10M
3 Kodiak Island Borough
80.0
Medium 0.31 / yr $11M
4 Aleutians East Borough
66.2
Low 0.35 / yr $2M
5 Sitka City and Borough
55.4
Low 0.30 / yr $2M
6 Anchorage Municipality
53.8
Low 0.30 / yr $2M
7 Lake and Peninsula Borough
50.8
Low 0.31 / yr $721K
8 Ketchikan Gateway Borough
36.9
Very Low 0.30 / yr $432K
9 Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area
33.8
Very Low 0.30 / yr $234K
10 Juneau City and Borough
27.7
Very Low 0.30 / yr $288K
11 Chugach Census Area
24.6
Very Low 0.30 / yr $307K
12 Hoonah-Angoon Census Area
21.5
Very Low 0.30 / yr $89K
13 Haines Borough
20.0
Very Low 0.30 / yr $115K
14 Bethel Census Area
16.9
Very Low 0.01 / yr $54K
15 Yakutat City and Borough
12.3
Very Low 0.30 / yr $43K
16 Matanuska-Susitna Borough
9.2
Very Low 0.30 / yr $56K
17 Skagway Municipality
4.6
Very Low 0.30 / yr $6K
18 Dillingham Census Area
1.5
Very Low 0.01 / yr $2K

18 Alaska counties with measurable tsunami risk. See the national tsunami ranking or all Alaska counties by overall risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Alaska county has the highest tsunami risk?

Aleutians West Census Area has the highest FEMA tsunami risk score in Alaska at 87.7 (Medium), with $20M in expected annual losses and about 0.35 events per year.

How many Alaska counties face significant tsunami risk?

18 Alaska counties record measurable tsunami risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 0 of them are rated High or Very High.

Other Hazards in Alaska