1964 Great Alaska Earthquake

Disaster Summary

Figure 1: This map shows the epicenter of the 1964 Alaskan Earthquake. The epicenter of the Great Alaska Earthquake was about 12 miles north of Prince William Sound and 75 miles east of Anchorage.

(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2019)

On March 27 (Good Friday) 1964 at 5:36 p.m., a magnitude 9.2 earthquake hit the coast of Alaska. The exact location of the epicenter was located at latitude 61.04 N, longitude 147.73 W, at a depth of approximately 25 km (Alaskan Earthquake Center, 2018). This earthquake is the largest in the United States and the second largest in the world. Alaska is a significant area for seismic activity and is highly vulnerable to earthquakes.  Of the 20 largest earthquakes in United States history, 16 have occurred in Alaska (Alaska, 2022). 

Figure 2: This picture shows Turnagain Arm after the 1964 earthquake.

(Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, 2020)

Significant damage occurred over about 130,000 square kilometers and was felt over 1,300,000 square kilometers (all of Alaska, parts of Canada, and south to Washington). The four-minute duration of shaking triggered many landslides and avalanches (Alaskan Earthquake Center, 2018). Significant damage was also caused by the following tsunamis. Of the 139 total deaths attributed to this event, 124 were directly caused by tsunamis (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2019). Aftershocks from the quake continued for three weeks (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2019). This earthquake created major structural damage throughout many major cities in Alaska. The total cost of damage was over 300-400 million dollars (Alaskan Earthquake Center, 2018). Some coastal cities, such as Kodiak and Chenega, were hit particularly hard (Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, 2020).

Importance of Event

Figure 3: This picture shows what to do during an earthquake. We have learned much about earthquakes since the Great Alaskan Quake of 1964.

(Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, 2020)

Survivors of this earthquake will never forget the shaking and devastation of the following tsunami. The earthquake is still on the minds of Alaskan communities, even after fifty-eight years (Alaska, 2022). The damage from this earthquake was unlike any had seen before.  This event significantly changed what we know about earthquakes and contributed to the study of seismology. It increased the importance of earthquake preparedness and earthquake sciences. Scientists learned more about plate tectonics and earthquakes’ truly disastrous effects. Programs were created to help people affected by earthquakes. The United States Geological Survey, for example, works to monitor earthquakes both nationally and internationally, making seismic-hazard assessments used in building codes and for other purposes, conducting research in earthquake occurrence and physics, and performing outreach and education on earthquake phenomena and hazards (U.S. Geological Survey, 2014).  It also led to the creation of the NOAA National Tsunami Warning Center, located in Palmer, Alaska, which monitors and warns the public of tsunami threats (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2019). Mike Dunleavy, the governor of Alaska, states, “Planning, emergency kits, and regular practice drills are vital for all Alaskans to be better prepared for the next natural disaster or emergency.” Truly, this earthquake was significant for more than just Alaska.

Video

This video shows footage from the earthquake and explains what scientists learned from it. It explains how the USGS handles earthquake hazards.

(U.S. Geological Survey, 2014)

Bibliography 

Alaska. (2022). Great Alaska Good Friday Earthquake Remembrance Day - Mike Dunleavy. Gov.alaska.gov. https://gov.alaska.gov/newsroom/2022/03/27/great-alaska-good-friday-earthquake-remembrance-day-4/

Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys. (2020). Popular Geology - Earthquakes & Tsunamis. Dggs.alaska.gov. https://dggs.alaska.gov/popular-geology/earthquakes-tsunamis.html

Alaskan Earthquake Center. (2018). 1964 M9.2 Great Alaskan Earthquake | Alaska Earthquake Center. Alaska.edu. https://earthquake.alaska.edu/earthquakes/notable/1964-m92-great-alaskan-earthquake

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2019, March 8). On This Day: Great Alaska Earthquake and Tsunami. National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/great-alaska-earthquake

U.S. Geological Survey. (2014). The 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake and Tsunamis—A Modern Perspective and Enduring Legacies. USGS. https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2014/3018/pdf/fs2014-3018.pdf