1964 Alaska earthquake

The Good Friday earthquake, also known as the Great Alaska quake was the strongest single earthquake in the history of the United States. After the earthquake of Valdivia in 1960, it is the earthquake with the second highest magnitude since the beginning of the performed from about 1950 regular recording of earthquakes.

It occurred on March 27, 1964 at 17:36 local time clock (28 March, 3:36 Clock UTC) and had a moment magnitude of 9.2 MW. The epicenter was located in Prince William Sound in south-central Alaska. Most property damage there was in Anchorage, 120 kilometers northwest of the epicenter.

Through the quake 125 people died. Almost all deaths were caused by tsunamis that devastated the fjords of Prince William Sound and the Kenai Peninsula, reaching a maximum height of about 67 meters. Victims have also been reported from California and Oregon. The quake lasted in Anchorage for almost three minutes. The greatest destruction in the city were caused by landslides and massive land shifts. Almost every house near the Turnagain Heights was destroyed by the quake.