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Dennis Donovan

(18,770 posts)
Wed Mar 27, 2019, 05:10 AM Mar 2019

55 Years Ago Today; Good Friday Earthquake - Anchorage, AK

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_Alaska_earthquake


Fourth Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska, looking east from near Barrow Street. The southern edge of one of several landslides in Anchorage, this one covered an area of over a dozen blocks, including five blocks along the north side of Fourth Avenue. Most of the area was razed and made an urban renewal district

The 1964 Alaskan earthquake, also known as the Great Alaskan earthquake and Good Friday earthquake, occurred at 5:36 PM AKST on Good Friday, March 27. Across south-central Alaska, ground fissures, collapsing structures, and tsunamis resulting from the earthquake caused about 131 deaths.

Lasting four minutes and thirty-eight seconds, the magnitude 9.2 megathrust earthquake remains the most powerful earthquake recorded in North American history, and the second most powerful earthquake recorded in world history. Six hundred miles (970 km) of fault ruptured at once and moved up to 60 ft (18 m), releasing about 500 years of stress buildup. Soil liquefaction, fissures, landslides, and other ground failures caused major structural damage in several communities and much damage to property. Anchorage sustained great destruction or damage to many inadequately earthquake-engineered houses, buildings, and infrastructure (paved streets, sidewalks, water and sewer mains, electrical systems, and other man-made equipment), particularly in the several landslide zones along Knik Arm. Two hundred miles (320 km) southwest, some areas near Kodiak were permanently raised by 30 feet (9 m). Southeast of Anchorage, areas around the head of Turnagain Arm near Girdwood and Portage dropped as much as 8 feet (2.4 m), requiring reconstruction and fill to raise the Seward Highway above the new high tide mark.

In Prince William Sound, Port Valdez suffered a massive underwater landslide, resulting in the deaths of 32 people between the collapse of the Valdez city harbor and docks, and inside the ship that was docked there at the time. Nearby, a 27-foot (8.2 m) tsunami destroyed the village of Chenega, killing 23 of the 68 people who lived there; survivors out-ran the wave, climbing to high ground. Post-quake tsunamis severely affected Whittier, Seward, Kodiak, and other Alaskan communities, as well as people and property in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. Tsunamis also caused damage in Hawaii and Japan. Evidence of motion directly related to the earthquake was also reported from Florida and Texas.

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9.2!!!

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55 Years Ago Today; Good Friday Earthquake - Anchorage, AK (Original Post) Dennis Donovan Mar 2019 OP
I remember that on the news Sherman A1 Mar 2019 #1
I was born the year after it happened... Dennis Donovan Mar 2019 #2
I was pretty young at the time Sherman A1 Mar 2019 #3

Sherman A1

(38,958 posts)
1. I remember that on the news
Wed Mar 27, 2019, 05:13 AM
Mar 2019

just had some family move to AK before it happened and there were several long distance calls that day to find out about their situation.

Dennis Donovan

(18,770 posts)
2. I was born the year after it happened...
Wed Mar 27, 2019, 05:36 AM
Mar 2019

...but I remember finding an old Life magazine of the event in a pile of old papers and magazines and saw all the pictures (about 10 yrs after the event). I was shocked as I'd never seen such destruction (up to that point in my 9 year old life).

Sherman A1

(38,958 posts)
3. I was pretty young at the time
Wed Mar 27, 2019, 06:06 AM
Mar 2019

But I do recall the news on the TV and my Mom being very concerned for her youngest Sister who had just moved there with her new husband then serving in the army.

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