The alaska earthquake anchorage, the largest city in alaska, the 49th state, is built on unstable clay that sits astride the volcanic arc of the great pacific basin, the circle of fire that begins in the north pacific and follows around to the kuriles and japan. In a time of crisis, her voice was the one that galvanized. Across southcentral alaska, ground fissures, collapsing structures, and tsunamis resulting from the earthquake caused about 1 deaths. The 1964 alaskan earthquake, also known as the great alaskan earthquake and good friday earthquake, occurred at 5. Geological survey, tsunami damage is shown along the waterfront in kodiak, alaska.
The great alaska earthquake of 1964 released more energy than all other north american earthquakes since, bringing with it widespread death and destruction. On march 27, 1964, a megathrust earthquake struck alaska, about 15 miles below prince william sound, halfway between anchorage and valdez. Alaska earthquake of 1964, earthquake that occurred in southcentral alaska on march 27, 1964, with a moment magnitude of 9. It was a thrust fault over the subduction zone where the ocean plate was diving under the continental plate. The video features usgs geologist george plafker who, in the 1960s, correctly interpreted the quake as a subduction zone event.
The narration describes the event and how the film was created. This is going to be a keep sake book for me to pass on to my family. The prince william sound, alaska, earthquake of 1964 and aftershocks, v. This was the largest magnitude earthquake ever recorded in north america. Anchorage, alaska the great alaska earthquake pictures. We lived near jewel lake, i dont remember the streets in that area having names, there was a large wooden sign at the end of our street like the forest service would have at camp grounds with the name jewel lake small tracts, no one had mail delivery you had to go to the post office in spenard to get. The great alaska earthquake is an eleven minute video highlighting the impacts and effects of americas largest recorded earthquake. The strongest earthquake in american history, measuring 9. Eckel a summarg of what was learned from a great earthquake about the bearing of geologic and hgdrologic conditions on its efects, and about. Short video 4 min by stephen wessells, usgs relating how the largest quake in u.
The great alaska earthquake of 1964, national research council u. The mathematical models that todays seismologists use to represent movement on faults produce a size estimate of magnitude9. Plafker spent most of the summer in alaska researching and documenting the earthquake. The great alaska earthquake of 1964, volume 8 national academy of sciences, washington, d. Being a veteran of the great alaskan earthquake of march 27, 1964, this is the very best book that i have seen on this subject and i do highly recommend it for anyone interested. The 1964 alaskan earthquake, also known as the great alaskan earthquake and good friday. On march 27, 1964, a megathrust earthquake struck alaska, about 15 miles below prince william sound, halfway between anchorage and. The good friday earthquake of march 27, 1964, was the most powerful earthquake in u.
It is the second largest earthquake of the world in the 20th century. Mooallem spent six years researching the book, which examines the 1964 alaskan earthquake 9. On good friday 1964, some alaskans thought that day had come. Alaska earthquake, alaska, 1964 skip to main search results amazon prime. Great alaska earthquake of 1964 by leslie taylor march 27, 2014. Summary of the earthquakes cause and effects from the alaska earthquake information center. The 1964 great alaska earthquake is a short video relating how the largest quake in u. North americas largest earthquake rattled alaska 50 years ago.
Henry fountain wrote a book about the 1964 alaska earthquake, and how subsequent investigation led to a better understanding of plate. The 1964 alaska earthquake, also known as the great alaska earthquake and the good friday earthquake, was a megathrust quake that began at 5. It released at least twice as much energy as the san francisco earthquake of 1906 and was felt on land over an area of almost. Youll also read about what scientists learned from this quake. About the alaska earthquake of 1964, the history of the destruction of anchorage. The great and terrible 1964 alaska earthquake 9781935347248. The author of 58 books, freedman is a graduate of boston university with a degree in journalism and he earned a masters degree from alaska pacific university. A must see for your success to great to own a rayban sunglasses as summer gift. Effects of the earthquake of march 27, 1964, at seward, alaska.
The alaska earthquake of 27 march 1964 affected an area of approximately 215,000 km2 sq. Summary and recommendations, including index to series. File in this march 29, 1964 file photo, a soldier crosses fourth avenue, the main street in anchorage, alaska, a city under martial law following the devastation visited upon it by an earthquake. Her husband, bob, was working on the roof and her first thought was that he had fallen. The 1964 earthquake was a defining moment in a territory that had just achieved statehood. He currently resides in indiana with his wife debra. The great alaska earthquake of 1964, volume 6 issue 1603 of publication national research council u. Effects on communities effects of the earthquake of march 27,1964, in the homer area, alaska the march 27,1964, earthquake shook the homer area for about 3 minutes. Learn all about the earthquake and the big wave, or tsunami, that followed it. Alaska earthquake of 1964 united states britannica. We hope this website becomes a valuable starting point for research into images, documents, books, films or other materials relating to the earthquake.
The great alaska earthquake of 1964 ann chandonnet on. How the biggest earthquake in north america changed our understanding of the planet by henry. These papers illustrate how research should be done and published. For example, the tsunamis produced by the 1964 great alaska earthquake was one of the first events to demonstrate to scientists that an earthquake may cause changes of seafloor depth that generate transoceanic tsunamis. The book, by longtime new york times science writer henry fountain, describes the experiences of those who witnessed the quake and its significance to science.
The greater part of seward is built on an alluvial fandelta near the head of resurrection bay on the southeast coast of the kenai peninsula. Since the quake struck on march 27, 1964, there has. This 1964 earthquake footage from valdez, alaska, shows valdez harbor emptying of water and the tsunami rushing back in. Valdez, anchorage, and many villages along the alaska coast were significantly damaged or destroyed by the magnitude 9. If your institution holds 1964 earthquake information and would like to become a part of this website, please contact the archives and special collections, uaaapu consortium library, university.
See more ideas about 1964 alaska earthquake, alaska and anchorage alaska. Seward, in southcentral alaska, was one of the towns most devastated by the alaska earthquake of march 27, 1964. Fifty years later, it continues to shape alaska, its people, and the science of earthquakes. The 1964 great alaska earthquake occurred on good friday, march 27th. Landslide and slumping effects in the turnagain heights area, anchorage, alaska, caused by the march 28, 1964, earthquake. Publication publication national research council u. Watch 1964 great alaska earthquakes path of devastation. Kodiak, alaska the great alaska earthquake pictures.
It is an expanded version of the four minute video magnitude 9. The 1964 great alaska earthquake and tsunamisa modern. This megathrust earthquake attacked southcentral alaska and caused ground. In the late afternoon of march 27, 1964 alaska was shaken for five minutes by one of the strongest earthquakes ever to be recorded in modern times, with a magnitude of 8.
It and rocked the state with strong ground shaking for 4. Penney building, 5th avenue and downing street, anchorage, alaska, partly collapsed by the march 28, 1964 earthquake. Why the 1964 great alaska earthquake matters 50 years later. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. In a time of crisis, her voice was the one that galvanized alaska.
198 214 1103 79 988 1376 404 1482 257 990 764 1105 1140 1065 326 1333 721 1273 933 1546 1105 1302 1015 30 89 892 6 247 1295 917 1199 308 324 534 755 780 338 1202 2 1247