Much of the damage and most of the lives lost were due to the effects of water waves. These were mainly of two kinds: the tsunami of open-ocean sea wave, generated by large-scale motion of the sea floor; and the local wave, generated by underwater landslides in bays of fiords.
What caused the most deaths in the Great Alaska Earthquake?
In Great Alaska Earthquake, most deaths were caused by tsunamis.
What type of fault caused the 1964 Alaska Earthquake?
thrust fault boundary
The 1964 Alaska earthquake resulted from rupture along the thrust fault boundary bet- ween the downgoing Pacific Plate and the overriding North American Plate, causing widespread shaking and tectonic defor- mation.
What two plates caused the 1964 Alaska Earthquake?
Earth scientists now recognize that the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake resulted from plate convergence: where the Pacific Plate is being overridden by the North American Plate, it descends, or subducts, into the Earth’s mantle along the Aleutian Trench.
How many deaths did the 1964 Alaska Earthquake cause?
The earthquake that occurred on March 27, 1964 was the largest in US history (magnitude 9.2 on the Richter scale) and the second largest ever recorded in the world. 1 Historical reports show that 115 people in Alaska died and an estimated 40-50 hospitalizations occurred for severe injuries.
How many people died in the 1964 tsunami?
The state suffered enormous damage, and the resulting tsunami waves reached as high as 27 feet in some areas. A total of 128 people died as a result of the tsunami, including 16 from California and 4 children from Oregon. Damages to Pacific Coast states and territories totaled $895 million (2011 USD).
What was the deadliest earthquake?
The deadliest earthquake ever recorded occurred on January 23, 1556, leaving an estimated 830,000 people dead. The earthquake had a magnitude of 8, and the epicenter was located closest to Huaxian in Shaanxi.
What was the worst earthquake in Alaska?
M9.2 earthquake
On March 27, 1964 at 5:36pm local time, a M9. 2 earthquake rocked the Prince William Sound region of Alaska. This earthquake and ensuing tsunami took 131 lives (tsunami 122, earthquake 9), and caused about $2.3 billion in property loss (in 2013 dollars; equivalent to $311 million in 1964).
What is the largest earthquake ever recorded in the United States?
magnitude 9.2
Bottom line: The most powerful earthquake to ever strike North America rocked south-central Alaska on Good Friday, March 27, 1964, and registered a magnitude 9.2 on the Richter scale.
What is the strongest earthquake in the US?
magnitude 9.2
The most powerful earthquake to strike the United States was a magnitude 9.2 recorded in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 28, 1964. The quake resulted in 139 deaths – nowhere near many of the most destructive quakes on record.
What damage did the Great Alaska earthquake cause?
Major structural damage occurred in many of the major cities in Alaska. The damage totalled 300-400 million dollars (1964 dollars). The number of deaths from the earthquake totalled 131; 115 in Alaska and 16 in Oregon and California.
How high was the 1964 tsunami in Valdez Inlet and what caused it?
The local tsunamis were generated by landslides, which were triggered by the earthquake. At the Valdez Inlet a large landslide was triggered by the earthquake generated a tsunami that had a run-up measured at 67.0 m in the inlet.
How many people were killed by the tsunami 1964 at Prince William Sound Alaska?
122 fatalities
The tsunami generated by the Prince William Sound Earthquake of March 28, 1964, was the largest since the 1960 Chilean tsunami.. 122 fatalities and over $104 million in damage resulted…
What happened in the 1964 Alaska Earthquake?
The 1964 Alaska earthquake, the strongest earthquake ever recorded in North America, struck Alaska’s Prince William Sound, about 74 miles southeast of Anchorage. Most of Alaska’s mainland felt the magnitude 9.2 earthquake, which wobbled Seattle’s Space Needle some 1,200 miles away.
What causes an earthquake?
The tectonic plates are always slowly moving, but they get stuck at their edges due to friction. When the stress on the edge overcomes the friction, there is an earthquake that releases energy in waves that travel through the earth’s crust and cause the shaking that we feel.
What was the damage of the 1964 Alaska tsunami?
A Costly Disaster
The earthquake and ensuing tsunamis caused about $2.3 billion of damageThe earthquake and ensuing tsunamis caused about $2.3 billion of damage (equivalent to $311 million in 1964). President Lyndon Johnson declared the entire state of Alaska a major disaster area a day after the earthquake.
How long did the 1964 Great Alaskan earthquake last?
approximately 4.5 minutes
The earthquake lasted approximately 4.5 minutes and is the most powerful recorded earthquake in U.S. history. It is also the second largest earthquake ever recorded, next to the M9.
What causes most deaths in earthquakes?
Most earthquake-related injuries and deaths result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and falling objects caused by the ground shaking.
Is a 10.0 earthquake possible?
No, earthquakes of magnitude 10 or larger cannot happen. The magnitude of an earthquake is related to the length of the fault on which it occurs. That is, the longer the fault, the larger the earthquake.
What are the top 10 deadliest earthquake in the world?
The 10 Deadliest Earthquakes in Human History
- #7 Damghan Earthquake — Iran, 856 AD.
- #6 The Haiyun Earthquake — China, 1920.
- #5 Haitian Earthquake — Haiti, 2010.
- #4 The Aleppo Earthquake — Syria, 1138 AD.
- #3 Sumatran Earthquake — The Indian Ocean, 2004.
- #2 Tangshan Earthquake — China, 1976.
- #1 Shaanxi Earthquake — China, 1556.
Has a tsunami ever hit Alaska?
A 1,720 foot tsunami towered over Lituya Bay, a quiet fjord in Alaska, after an earthquake rumbled 13 miles away.
