What caused the 1964 Alaskan earthquake?
The Reason the Earthquake Happened According to the United States Geological Survey, “The 1964 earthquake was giant because of the large area of the fault that slipped during the earthquake and the large amount of slip, or relative motion, between opposite sides of the earthquake fault.”
How big was the Alaskan earthquake in 1964?
magnitude 9.2
On March 27, 1964 at 5:36pm local time (March 28 at 3:36 UTC) an earthquake of magnitude 9.2 occurred in the Prince William Sound region of Alaska.
How many people died Valdez 1964?
Valdez with 32 dead was not totally destroyed, but after three years, the town relocated to higher ground four miles (6.4 km) west of its original site. Some Alaska Native villages, including Chenega and Afognak, were destroyed or damaged.
How far away could the 1964 Alaska earthquake be felt?
The earthquake was felt throughout most of mainland Alaska, as far west as Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands some 480 miles away, and at Seattle, Washington, more than 1,200 miles to the southeast of the fault rupture, where the Space Needle swayed perceptibly.
What caused the 1964 tsunami?
On March 28, 1964, at 03:28 GMT, an earthquake occurred in Prince William Sound of Alaska triggering a Pacific-wide tsunami. The earthquake had a surface-wave magnitude of 8.4, an epicenter of 61.1° N, 147.5° W, and a depth of 23 km.
Is there a place on Earth that is earthquake free?
Antarctica has the least earthquakes of any continent, but small earthquakes can occur anywhere in the World.
How many people were killed in the 1964 Alaska earthquake?
Facts About the 1964 Alaska Earthquake. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake, an event that transformed how geologists view the Earth. Here are 11 interesting facts and figures about this historic earthquake. Of the 131 people killed during the earthquake, 119 died in tsunamis.
What was the magnitude of the earthquake in Alaska 1964?
The second largest earthquake ever recorded shook the heart of southern Alaska on March 27th, 1964, with a magnitude of 9.2 (see photos below).
What day did the 1964 earthquake hit Alaska?
On March 27, 1964 (UTC) at 5:36 p.m. local time, the largest recorded earthquake in U.S. history struck Alaska’s Prince William Sound. The devastating 9.2 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunamis ravaged coastal communities and took over 139 lives.
Why did the 1964 Alaska earthquake occur?
1964 Great Alaska Earthquake resulted from plate convergence: where the Pacific megathrust fault during the 1964 earthquake . Plate is being overridden by the North American Plate, it descends, or subducts, into the Earth’s mantle along the Aleutian Trench. Subduction zones like southern Alaska’s occur throughout the