Alaska
Lori Dengler | A 60-year perspective on the Great 1964 Alaska earthquake
At 5:36 p.m. AST on Good Friday 60 years ago, a small crack formed about 16 miles beneath the ground near Prince William Sound on the south coast of Alaska. Over the next four minutes, the rupture would grow both towards the surface and laterally, displacing rock along a 500 mile long by 125-mile-wide fault surface, uplifting some areas by more than 30 feet and dropping others down nearly 8 feet.
For the whole time and area that the fault ruptured, it generated seismic waves. Almost everyone in Alaska felt it, from Ketchikan in the southeast to the eastern Aleutian Islands, and as far north as the Brooks Range, an area of over 800,000 square miles. If I center that same felt map near Humboldt Bay, It would have been felt from Los Angeles to Seattle and inland to Utah and Idaho.
Remembering what happened on March 27, 1964, is not only of historic interest. Very large earthquakes are rare and one of the few places on the planet where they occur is right beneath your feet, if you live in coastal Northern California, Oregon, or Washington. Examining what happened in Alaska provides clues to what could happen here.
I’ve read and heard many accounts of people who were in Alaska that day. There is one that is unique. Bob Pate was a salesman for radio station KHAR in Anchorage and aspired to be an on-air reporter. He carried a portable tape recorder with him and, whenever anything of interest happened around him, would turn it on and describe what was happening. That’s what he did from his home that evening.
“Hey, we’re going through an earth (voice trails), hey boy that’s an earthquake for sure…woo-ee, that’s a good one, boy oh boy oh boy,” the recording begins. From the breathlessness of the narrator, he is very frightened. You can hear everything in the house rattling and crashing. Pate stumbles over words as he tries to describe what is going on and frequently repeats himself. The recording starts about five seconds after the shaking began. By that time, the vibrations are already violent. This strong shaking phase lasts well over a minute and some swaying continues until the end of the recording, more than three minutes later.
While Pate is frightened, he is not panicking. The action of turning on the recorder is a rational one and his attempts to describe what is going on probably help to focus his thoughts. He describes moving the television off the table, so it won’t fall. After the strongest shaking passes, he does a tour of his house to check the damage. And just like I would probably do, he keeps flicking on the light switch only to be reminded that the power is out.
About 100,000 people lived in Anchorage in 1964 and all of them, like Bill Pate, were in the zone of strongest shaking. The Modified Mercalli (MMI) scale is a qualitative measure of shaking strength that varies from zero to XII. We often use Roman numerals to distinguish intensities from magnitude. Intensity V is the level when some items topple over and everyone indoors will feel it. The Anchorage area varied between VIII and X, strong enough to toss items into the air and damage even some well-built structures.
Despite the extreme level of shaking, only nine deaths were directly caused by the earthquake. Four were in Turnagain Heights, a middle-class suburb of newer homes built on the gentle hillslope above the Cook Inlet. When the shaking began, friction melted some of the frozen ground triggering liquefaction and causing 130 acres to slide a third of a mile towards the sea. The ground didn’t move uniformly. It broke into chunks forming great chasms in between. Some of the 75 homes atop the sliding ground likewise broke apart.
Liquefaction also played a role in other parts of Anchorage. The control tower at the airport collapsed killing an air traffic controller. Several areas in the downtown subsided damaging Penny’s Department Store where two people died and Government Hill Elementary School broke in half. Fortunately, it was a holiday, and no one was in the school at the time.
The Good Friday holiday and the early evening hour contributed to the low death toll. Schools and businesses were closed, and most people were at home. But the built environment also contributed; homes were built of wood, and outside of the liquefaction zones, had little structural damage despite their proximity to the fault rupture zone.
Fewer than one hundredth of a percent of the population died from shaking. But like Bill Pate, they were without power and other services. Areas of Anchorage were isolated from one another due to landslides and damage to roads and bridges. Severe weather prevented outside relief efforts for days; more remote areas were on their own for weeks.
For those first hours and days, it was neighbors helping neighbors. Alaskans are resilient by nature and set up informal neighborhood centers to help one another, sharing food and emergency first aid. One radio station was back on air within 24 hours, providing a calming voice and what little information was available. Lyndon Johnson, only four months into his presidency, declared a state of emergency, but it took days for assistance to reach Anchorage.
The details of what happened that Good Friday wouldn’t be known for years. It took painstaking field investigation and re-examination of data, some of which is still ongoing, to draw a more complete picture. 1964 was the dawn of the modern tectonic era and ‘subduction zone’ wouldn’t enter the literature for another six years. A very large earthquake had occurred nearly four years earlier along the coast of southern Chile and the magnitude scale in use at the time gave a value of 8.6. Using that outdated magnitude estimate, the 1964 Alaska had a value of 8.4, barely larger than the 1906 San Francisco quake then ranked at an 8.3.
It would take 15 years before the moment magnitude scale was developed and the true size of these great quakes could be accurately compared. The 1960 Chile earthquake still sits at the top of the earthquake leaderboard at a magnitude of 9.5, Alaska is in second at 9.2 and 1906 San Francisco earthquake, revised to magnitude 7.9, doesn’t even make the top 100. But these changes weren’t made until much later. For people in Alaska, they knew something extraordinary had happened.
We still use a variation of MMI today, although now it is augmented by instruments that measure ground accelerations and responses of people who experienced the earthquake on the USGS “Did You Feel It?” web site.
In case you hadn’t noticed, there is not one mention of a tsunami in what I have written above. Tune in to next week’s column for what happened then and how it might play out differently were a repeat to happen today.
Note: You can find a link to the Bill Pate recording at https://kamome.humboldt.edu/activities/6-8/sounds-quake-grades-6-8. It is part of the online Sounds of a Quake curriculum activity that all teachers are welcome to use.
Lori Dengler is an emeritus professor of geology at Cal Poly Humboldt, an expert in tsunami and earthquake hazards. Questions or comments about this column, or want a free copy of the preparedness magazine “Living on Shaky Ground”? Leave a message at 707-826-6019 or email Kamome@humboldt.edu.
Two US soldiers were wounded by a brown bear during a training exercise in Alaska on Thursday, the US Army stated.
Anchorage Daily News reported that the soldiers were from the 11th Airborne Division, and that the exercise had been a “land navigation training event” near Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
State wildlife officials said that the bear attack seemed to be a defensive one, from a bear which had recently emerged from its den. Staff members from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game collected evidence at the scene in an attempt to learn more about the bear, such as its species and gender.
“The incident is currently under investigation, and we are working closely with installation authorities and local wildlife officials to gather all relevant information and ensure the safety of all personnel in the area,” the 11th Airborne Division said in a statement, reported ABC News.
ABC News also cited an 11th Airborne Division spokesperson, Lt.-Col. Jo Nederhoed, who said that the two soldiers had been seriously wounded, but were receiving care at a hospital in Anchorage, and had shown improvement by Saturday morning.
“We hope both individuals have a full and quick recovery, and our thoughts are with them during this time,” Fish and Game Regional Supervisor Cyndi Wardlow said in a statement reported by Anchorage Daily News. “In this case, having bear spray with them in the field may have saved their lives.”
Both of the soldiers reportedly had and used bear spray during the attack.
The bear’s condition and whereabouts are currently unknown.
Up, up and away … that’s where most travel prices are going.
It’s true. Not only are our nation’s geopolitical thrusts in the Mideast affecting the cost of your fill-ups, every component of your trip from airfares to car rentals and hotel stays are subject to price hikes.
Imagine filling up a jetliner with jet fuel that’s doubled in price. It’s enough to melt your credit card, regardless of the number of points you get for every dollar spent!
Because the price of oil affects everything, higher prices are eating away at your travel budget in many ways.
Bag fees
There’s lots of press on this. All airlines are increasing their checked-bag fees because of the jump in fuel prices.
Back in 2009, Alaska Airlines instituted a $15 fee for the first checked bag and $25 for the second bag. At the time, there was no charge for the first bag and a second bag was $25.
Last week, Alaska Airlines, along with other major airlines, increased its fees to $45 for the first checked bag and $55 for the second bag. Delta Air Lines charges the same.
Even if the cost of oil comes down, I don’t expect bag fees will ever be reduced.
Travelers who live in Alaska are somewhat insulated from the new hikes because both Delta and Alaska Airlines offer two free checked bags, with conditions:
1. Alaska offers two free checked bags for travelers flying to or from Alaska who are enrolled in Club 49. This does not affect other flights on Alaska. Separately, ATMOS credit card holders can get a free checked bag. Also, elite members of the ATMOS scheme get one or two free checked bags systemwide.
2. Delta offers two free checked bags for travelers flying to or from Alaska who are SkyMiles members who live in Alaska. Again, this does not apply to other Delta flights. Separately, Delta American Express cardholders can get a free checked bag.
3. Elite-level travelers with the oneworld airline cartel, including Alaska Airlines, can get one or two checked bags on American, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Qantas or other oneworld carriers.
[Anchorage’s international airport rolls out self-driving wheelchairs]
Main Cabin vs. Basic Economy
The spread between the lowest available price, Basic Economy, and a more flexible ticket, Main Cabin, has increased. While the difference used to be $20-$30 each way when the Basic Economy scheme was introduced in 2018, the round-trip upcharge now can exceed $100.
For example, the lowest Basic fare to Portland is $337 round-trip on Alaska Airlines. The upcharge to Main Cabin, with full loyalty points, pre-assigned seats and more flexibility on changes and cancellations, is $447, a 33% upcharge.
This trend is not specifically attributable to the new Iran War. It’s just a cost that continues to rise.
New fees
I’m impressed at the creativity of airline people who dream up new fees. Here are some of my favorites from Alaska Airlines:
1. Phone reservations: $15
2. Partner award booking fee: $12.50
3. Pet travel fee: $100 in the cabin, $200 in the baggage compartment with a kennel
4. Left on board item return fee: $20
On Condor Airlines, operating the only nonstop service from Anchorage to Europe, travelers can choose from four different bundles in economy class. The least-expensive, Economy Zero, from $840 round-trip, features fees for travelers:
1. Carry-on bag fee, up to 8kg: $35; a small bag like a purse always is included for free
2. Checked bag: $75
3. Airport check-in: $30
All three of these fees are included in the next-highest fare bucket, Economy Classic, from $900 round-trip. It’s cheaper to buy the bundle than it is to buy the components a la carte. Seat assignments are additional, from $25 for economy.
Airfares on the rise
There are a few good deals available for travel to select West Coast/Intermountain destinations in May, including:
1. Anchorage-San Francisco on Alaska Airlines, from $307 round-trip. Fly May 15-28 only. Add $90 round-trip for Main cabin.
2. Anchorage-Los Angeles on Alaska Airlines, from $317 round-trip. May 15-25 only. Add $90 round-trip for Main.
3. Anchorage-Phoenix on United, Delta or Alaska, from $267-$287 round-trip. Fly May 8-June 9 only. Add $90-$100 for Main.
4. Anchorage-Denver $357 round-trip on Delta. Fly May 8-June 9 only. Add $90 round-trip for Main.
For travel to other destinations, or later in the summer, be prepared to pay more.
Flying to Hawaii? Alaska Air’s nonstop prices out at $706 round-trip between May 30 and June 6. Add $110 round-trip for Main.
Nonstop flights from Anchorage to Salt Lake City start at $669 round-trip with Delta on May 17. That’s $100 more than the cost for the same flights last month. Add $90 more for Main.
Hotel costs continue to rise, accompanied by pesky resort fees.
The Outrigger on the Beach in Waikiki is a very nice beachfront hotel. It’s not plush, or the nicest property. But it’s solid. The cost is $334 per night.
But there’s more: a $50 per night resort fee, plus a variety of taxes and charges, totaling $112.55 per night.
Down in Seattle, the Sound Hotel in the Belltown neighborhood is marketed by Hilton. The discounted rate for “Honors” members — it’s free to join — is $313.34 per night for a king room in late May. Taxes and fees add an extra $56.40 per night.
There’s no appreciable bump yet for hotel rates as a result of the oil price surge. Yet. But if these hotel rates seem high, they’re in line with hotel rates in Anchorage this summer. At the Sheraton in Anchorage in June, it’s $450 per night, plus $54 in taxes and fees, when booked at Expedia.
Car rentals are not cheap
My go-to site for car rentals is the Costco site, which compares major brands and automatically includes Costco discounts.
In Las Vegas, for a one-day rental in May, Budget charges $67 per day, which includes taxes and fees of $22.77. In Anchorage, the same kind of car, medium SUV, costs $92.97 with Alamo.
The biggest differences so far in car rental rates seems to be the bill you’ll pay when you fill up the tank before returning. There’s no appreciable jump in prices because of the new war.
When it comes to making travel arrangements for the spring and summer, it’s more risky making completely non-refundable arrangements.
I made the decision to purchase most of my summer travel plans in advance, but only after determining I would not need to change the dates. Particularly with airline tickets, it’s expensive to change your dates.
There’s lots of uncertainty regarding travel arrangements, particularly international travel. As fuel prices go up due to oil shortages, travel companies will look for ways to recoup the increased costs. In most cases, those higher costs will be borne by travelers.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz has led to a decrease in oil prices nationally, but Alaska’s senior senator said the state faces a different situation that could threaten rural communities.
“If you can’t produce power because you don’t have the diesel or you just can’t pay the prices, your little communities can collapse,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said at a Friday press conference at the Arctic Encounter Summit in Anchorage.
The price of oil has been a double-edged sword for Alaska. On one hand, the increased price of North Slope oil brings more revenue to the state, but consumer prices can also rise.
North Slope oil prices were $106.36 a barrel on Thursday.
“This is a very precarious time,” Murkowski said. “Our state has enjoyed a bounty because we have benefited from the higher prices of oil that goes into our treasury, but it’s the Alaskans in … the off-road communities that are threatened to be hit most hard.”
See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com
Copyright 2026 KTUU. All rights reserved.
-
World11 minutes agoBulgaria votes in eighth election in five years
-
News41 minutes agoReal estate investors are buying up long-term care facilities. Residents can suffer
-
Detroit, MI3 hours agoFormer Piston shows Detroit what they’re missing as he dominates next to LeBron
-
San Francisco, CA3 hours agoEastbound I-80 closure in San Francisco snarls traffic, slows business
-
Videos3 hours agoCan Keir Starmer survive the latest Mandelson revelations? | BBC News
-
Dallas, TX3 hours agoPetar Musa’s Brace Not Enough as FC Dallas Draws LA Galaxy 2-2
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoMLS: Messi double helps Inter Miami slay Rapids in front of huge crowd
-
Boston, MA3 hours agoFrom across Boston they flock to play for Latin Academy boys’ tennis, a co-op of 29 schools – The Boston Globe