Seattle alaska quake series#

Although there are no written records for the region from the time, the timing of the earthquake has been inferred from Japanese records of a tsunami that does not correlate with any other Pacific Rim quake. The earthquake took place at about 21:00 Pacific Time on Janu( NS).

Japanese tsunami records, along with reconstructions of the wave moving across the ocean, put the earthquake at about 9 pm Pacific time on the evening of 26 January 1700. The earthquake caused a tsunami which struck the west coast of North America and the coast of Japan. The length of the fault rupture was about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), with an average slip of 20 meters (66 ft). The megathrust earthquake involved the Juan de Fuca Plate from mid- Vancouver Island, south along the Pacific Northwest coast as far as northern California. The 1700 Cascadia earthquake occurred along the Cascadia subduction zone on January 26, 1700, with an estimated moment magnitude of 8.7–9.2. The station continues to operate and provide valuable data.45°N 125°W / 45°N 125°W / 45 -125 It was one of three locations selected in Interior Alaska at the time. Later in 1964, a permit was issued to the University of Alaska’s Geophysical Institute for installation of a seismic station near the grounds of the Park Hotel. The 1964 earthquake generated interest and eventually scientific knowledge about Alaska seismology. During the summer of 1964 the concessioner reported a decrease in receipts relative to 1963 but they also fared better than most Alaska tourist operations. Surprisingly, despite Anchorage’s devastation, visitor numbers increased in May, June, and July. Minor tremors continued to be reported well into April. When the park plowed the road in April, later reports noted no damage related to the earthquake. As one part of the wave would go through, they would tip the trees one way, and then the trees behind them would be going the other way on the wave. Looking across the lake at the spruce trees, you could see the tops of the spruce sort of acting like scissors.

Seattle alaska quake series#

There was a series of waves coming through the area.

The way it felt here was just like riding a wave. So we didn’t think too much about it until after about 30 seconds we decided that maybe we’d better go outside and get out of the house. 1947, 1948 were real bad years up at Park Headquarters. In an oral history interview, long-time park employee Bill Nancarrow recounted his ’64 quake experience at his Deneki Lakes home just south of the main park entrance: Dick mentioned that the outlook for the tourist season was “bleak” because of the damage reported in South Central Alaska, but he also provided optimism regarding the park’s ability to accommodate a record number of tourists expected prior to the earthquake. The park offered the McKinley Park Hotel as a potential shelter to Civil Defense personnel. Employees were urged to conserve fuel in case of a shortage due to damage to the Alaska Railroad and changed food procurement procedures. Oscar Dick reported that the earthquake was very noticeable between 5:37 and 5:40pm and aftershocks were noted for a “considerable period thereafter.” Mail delivery was delayed for a week but a thorough inspection of all facilities indicated no property damage, including no road damage in the headquarters area. In the April 1964 Superintendent Report, Supt. The severity of the most recent event has caused some reflection on the devastating ’64 quake, and raises a question: what was the impact on Denali? The epicenter of the earthquake was near Point MacKenzie, roughly 200 miles south of Denali’s headquarters, and measured 7.2 on the Richter scale-the largest to affect the Anchorage area since the infamous “Good Friday” quake on March 27, 1964. Reuse by other parties not permitted without contacting UAA Archives & Special Collections By Erik Johnson, Denali HistorianĪround 8:30am on November 30, 2018, the buildings in Denali National Park’s headquarters area began shaking-long enough for people to observe the strength of the tremor and start considering safety contingencies. Schmidt papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). Downtown Anchorage after the 1964 earthquake