The Alaska Good Friday Earthquake of 1964

• Main Author: Swinzow,George K
• Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER NH
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1982
• Subjects: Geology; Geochemistry and Mineralogy; Seismology; Snow; Ice and Permafrost; *EARTHQUAKES; *EARTH MOVEMENTS; ALASKA; COASTAL REGIONS; SOILS; FREEZING; FROST; ICE; STRUCTURES; DAMAGE; MOUNTAINS; OCEAN WAVES; *Alaskan earthquake 1964; Frozen soils; Anchorage; Ice; permafrost; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA113800; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA113800

On 27 March 1964 a major earthquake struck Southern Alaska. The city of Anchorage, which contained a large part of Alaska's population, suffered loss of life and destruction of property. The time of the day, the season, and ground conditions were such that loss of life and property was minimized. The frozen ground and the ice on fresh waster bodies responded to the earthquake shocks in a seldom-observable pattern, which was noted and recorded. Changes of sea level and slides into the sea were responsible for waterfront destruction. It is concluded that the main factor that limited structural damage was the frozen state of the ground. (Author)