On Monday, June 23, 2014 at 12:53 pm AKDT (20:53 UTC) a M7.9 earthquake struck in the Rat Islands, deep beneath Little Sitkin Island. At a depth of 118 km (73 miles) it was a rare intermediate-depth event. The mainshock was followed by a vigorous aftershock sequence.

Although shaking was felt on the islands of Adak and Shemya, because of the earthquake's remote location, it inflicted neither damage nor casualties.