It funds maps, sirens and education. "Losing this program, really, at the end of the day could mean deaths in Alaska," says a state official.

The magnitude 7.2 earthquake initially triggered sirens and evacuations in communities including Sand Point and Kodiak.

Last year, over 47,000 earthquakes were recorded in Alaska and nearby regions, a slight decrease in seismic activity compared to recent years.

Seismologists called the quake the most significant in the state’s largest city since 1964, in terms of how strong the ground itself shook.