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beam me up scottie

(57,349 posts)
Mon Mar 27, 2017, 10:02 PM Mar 2017

Today in science: Great Alaska earthquake

Today in science: Great Alaska earthquake



March 27, 1964. On this date, at 5:36 p.m. local time, a 9.2 magnitude earthquake struck in the Prince William Sound region of Alaska, causing extensive initial damage and a subsequent tsunami. The quake came to be known as Great Alaska Earthquake, or sometimes the Good Friday Earthquake. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), it was the biggest earthquake recorded in North America since modern seismometers came into general use around 1900.

It had been a relatively warm day in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, about 75 miles (120 km) from the quake’s epicenter. Schools had been closed for Good Friday, along with many offices. In Anchorage, dozens of blocks of buildings were leveled or heavily damaged.

The city of Valdez, closest to the epicenter, was completely destroyed.

***

The earthquake shook the land for nearly four minutes and caused many natural changes. The Latouche Island area, for example, moved to the southeast by nearly 60 feet (nearly 20 meters), according to the Alaska Earthquake Information Center (AEIC).

More:

http://earthsky.org/human-world/this-date-in-science-biggest-earthquake-in-north-america

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Today in science: Great Alaska earthquake (Original Post) beam me up scottie Mar 2017 OP
I visited Anchorage about 10 years ago dhol82 Mar 2017 #1
A school friend had moved there shortly before the quake Warpy Mar 2017 #3
I can't even imagine. beam me up scottie Mar 2017 #4
My uncle was an electrician and outfitter up there most of his life. New to the place brewens Mar 2017 #2
It must have been terrifying for them, especially with no way to contact each other.. beam me up scottie Mar 2017 #5
Whoa, a 9.2! Laffy Kat Mar 2017 #6
It's called a mega-thrust earthquake - pretty powerful. beam me up scottie Mar 2017 #7
As with most acts of nature it's fascinating. Laffy Kat Mar 2017 #8
The tsunami killed 11 in Crescent City, California central scrutinizer Mar 2017 #9

dhol82

(9,351 posts)
1. I visited Anchorage about 10 years ago
Mon Mar 27, 2017, 10:07 PM
Mar 2017

One of the really cool things to see was the crazy stuff that happened during the earthquake.
Amazing how one side of the street could suddenly be several feet higher.
Must have been horrifying for the residents.

Warpy

(110,913 posts)
3. A school friend had moved there shortly before the quake
Mon Mar 27, 2017, 10:21 PM
Mar 2017

and sent me a snapshot of a commercial area, one side of the street up and the other side down, the roofs level with the road between them.

An acquaintance since then has talked about being near the coast and how fast the evacuation to higher ground was, or the tsunami death toll would have been far higher.

I know that in parts, there are decaying rooftops sitting at ground level, sand filling in areas that dropped two meters or so, other buildings atop high cliffs with no good way to get to them any more.

It's a good thing that the big ones there are relatively infrequent.

beam me up scottie

(57,349 posts)
4. I can't even imagine.
Mon Mar 27, 2017, 10:27 PM
Mar 2017

I like to kayak Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee which was formed when the Mississippi river ran backwards due to the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812. The personal accounts from people living in the affected areas are horrific.

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/events/1811-1812newmadrid/summary.php

brewens

(13,400 posts)
2. My uncle was an electrician and outfitter up there most of his life. New to the place
Mon Mar 27, 2017, 10:14 PM
Mar 2017

when the quake hit. I think he and his wife already lived at Homer. I don't know any real details other than they said it was terrifying for them all day. He was out on a job when it hit and it took him hours to get home, neither one knowing if the other was okay.

beam me up scottie

(57,349 posts)
5. It must have been terrifying for them, especially with no way to contact each other..
Mon Mar 27, 2017, 10:28 PM
Mar 2017

If it happened now the loss of life would be much worse.

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