THE ALASKA EARTHQUAKE, MARCH 27, 1964: EFFECTS ON COMMUNITIES Effects of the Earthquake of March 27,1964 on Various Lommunities By GEORGE PLAFKER, REUBEN KACHADOORIAN, EDWIN B. ECKEL, and LAWRENCE R. MAY0 A description of the damage, principally from waves, vertical tectonic movements, and seismic vibration, to inhabited places throughout the earthquake-aflected part of Alaska GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 542-G UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WALTER J. HICKEL, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY William T. Pecora, Director UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1969 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 ALASKA EARTHQUAKE SERIES The U.S. Geological Survey is publishing the re- sults of investigations of the Alaska earthquake of March 27,1964, in a series of six Professional Papers. Professional Paper 542 ddbesthe effects of the earthquake on communities. Reports on Anchorage, Whithiex-, Valdez, Homer, Sward, and Kodiak have already been published. This report is the final chapter of Professional Paper 542. Other Professional Papers describe the history of the field investigakion and mnstruction efforts; the regional effects of khe earthquake ; the effects on 'the hydrologic regimen; and ths effects on trwsporta- tion, communications, and utilities. The final volume on lessons learned and conclusions drawn is in prepa- ration; it will include an index for the entire series. A selected bibliography and an index for the entire series will be published in the concluding volume, Profesional Paper 546. CONTENTS Page Page Abstract - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - G1 Effects on communities-Con. Effects on communities-Con. Introduction--- --- - -- - - - - - - - - - 2 Prince William Sound-Con. Kenai Peninsula-Con. Acknowledgments- - - - - - - - - - - 3 Latouche and vicinity-- - --- Rocky Bay--_----------_- Earthquake questionnaire- - - - 3 Perry Island -------------_ Seldovia-_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Categories of earthquake-related Point Nowell -_------------ Whidbey Bay.------------ damage------------------ Port Nellie Juan- _ -------- Communities of western Cook Seismic vibrations- - - -- - - - - - - Port Oceanic-_-- - - - - - -- - - - Inlet and the Alaska Direct vibratory damage- - - Sawmill Bay and vicinity--- Peninsula - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fissured ground--- - - _ - - - - - Tatitlek and vicinity ------- King Salmon and South Cracked ice- - - --- - - ------ Communities of the coastal belt Naknek--..----------- Landslides and avalanches _ _ east of Prince William Tyonek and the west coast Vertical tectonic displace- Sound- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - of Cook Inlet ------_-- ments- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cape Saint Elias- - - _-_---_ Inland communities- - - - _ -- - - Waves and related subaqueous Middleton Island -_-_- -- __- Fairbanks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - slides - - _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Yakataga--__--------_---_ Palmer and the Matanuska Local waves and subaqueous Yakutat_----------------- Valley - - _ - - - - - - - - _ _ _ - slides - _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Kenai Peninsula communities- Sutton------------------- Seismic sea waves- ..- - - -- -- Cooper Landing ---- ------_ Summary and conclusions - - _ - _ - Effects on communities- _ - ---- - English Bay- - -----__-__-_ Geologic control of vibratory Prince William Sound com- Girdwood- - - _ - - - _ - - - - - - - - damage distribution- - - - - munities - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hope-----_-------------- Vertical tectonic displacements Anderson Bay and vicinity- Kenai and vicinity ..----_ - _ and seismic sea waves--_- Chenega- - - -- ----------- - Port Graham ------_-_--__ Local waves and subaqueous Cordova and vicinity - - - - - - Portage---__._-__-------- slides - - - - - - - - - - _ - - - - - - - Hinchinbrook Light Station- Puget Bay __-____-_-- References cited -------_-_--_-_ ILLUSTRATIONS PLATES [Plates are in pocket] 1. Map of Alaska, showing distribution of earthquake effects. 2. Map of Prince William Sound, showing distribution of waves and of known or inferred subaqueous slides. FIGURES Pnsc Page 1. Map showing distribution and intensity of wave 8-10. Photographs: damage in the western part of Port 1-aldcz. -__ G12 8. Cordova waterfront ______------------- 2-6. Photographs of wave damage: 9. Ground crack at FAA airport station, Cordova-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2-4. Near Shoup Bay --__----_---._-_-----13, 14 10. Wave damage, Cordova- - -- --- - ------ - $6. At Chenega ......................... 13, 16 11. Geologic map of Capo Hinchinbrook Light Station 7. Map showing distribution nnd intensity of wave area------------_-_--------.-------------- damage at Chenega---_--_----_------------- 17 12. Map showing distribution and intensity of wave damage at Latouche and vicinity __--- - - - - - - - - VI CONTENTS Page Page 13-16. Photographs of wave damage: 20-24. Photographs-Continued 13. AtLatouche------------------------- 22. Fissured and slumped fluvioglacial de- 14. At Port Nellie Juan------------------- posits along Bering Glacier-------- G32 15. At head of Kings Bay--_-..----------- 23. Rockfall debris from Pinnacle Rock at 16. To a barge near Port Nellie Juan- -- ---- Cape Saint Elias- - ----------------- 33 17. Map showing distribution and intensity of wave 24. Fissured road on elevated beach ridge damage at Port Oceanic and vicinity -------- west of Yakataga -------------_----- 34 18. Photograph of wave damage at Port Oceanic-- 25-27. Photographs: 19. Map showing distribution and intensity of wave 25,26. Collapsed water tower, Wildwood damage at Sawmill Bay .................... Station.......................... 38, 39 20-24. Photographa: 27. Collapsed catwalk, Nikiski __--___----- 39 20. Fissured sand dune on Copper River 28. Map of Portage area ........................ 40 Delta-----------_----------------- 29. Photograph of Portage area.. - - _-------------_- 41 21. Fissured tidal flats and sand ejecta along 30. Photograph of Seldovia waterfront __----------- 43 shore of Controller Bay - - - - - - - - - - - - TABLES Page 1. Communities treated in other reports- -----_--------------__-- _ _---___--_--- G2 2. Communities treated in this report-- ---- -,---------------__--_---- -___----- 3 THE ALASKA EARTHQUAKE, MARCH 27,1964: EFFECTS .ON COMMUNITIES EFFECTS OF THE EARTHQUAKE OF MARCH 27,1964 ON VARIOUS COMMUNITIES By George Plafker, Reuben Kachadoorian, Edwin B. Eckel, and Lawrence R. Mayo ABSTRACT The 1964 earthquake caused wide- shores of Anderson Bay and adjacent of unconsolidated drl~osits. required spread damage to inhabited places parts of western Port Valdez probably either the relocation or raising of struc- throughout more than 60,000 square were generated primarily by inassive tures at Portage, Girdwood, and Hope miles of south-central Alaska. This re- submarine slides of glacial and fluvio- on Turnagain Arm. Shoreline sub- port describes damage to all communi- glacial deposits ; the origin of the waves mergence resulting from about 3% feet ties in the area except Anchorage, Whit- that caused damage at most of the other of tectonic subsidence at Seldovia tier, Homer, Valdez, Seward, the com- communities and at extensive unin- iiecessitated raising all waterfront fa- munities of the Kodiak group of islands, habited segments of shoreline is not cilities and the airstrip above the lerel and communities in the Copper River known. At these places the mcwt prob- of high tides. On the other hand, tec- Basin ; these were discussed in previous able generative mechanisms are: un- tonic uplift of the land in the Prince chapters of the Geological Survey's identified submarine slides of urn- Williaili Sound region required deepen- series of reports on the earthquake. At ing of the small-boat harbors at Cordora solidated deposits, and (or) the hori- * the communities discussed herein, zo&l tectonic displacements, of a0 to and Tatitlek, dredging of the waterways damage resulted primarily from sea more than 60 feet, that wawred in the in the Cordova area, and lengthening of waves of diverse origins, displacements Prince William Sound region during some docks or piers at Cordova, the of the land relative to sea level, and the earthquake. Cape Hinchinbrook Light Station, and seismic shaking. Waves took all of the A train of long-period seismic sea in Sawmill Bay. 31 lives lost at those communities; waves that began about 20 minutes Significant structuwl damage from physical damage was primarily from after the start of the earthquake in- direct seismic shaking was largely con- the waves and vertical displacements of undated shores along the Gulf of Alaska fined to fluid containem and ;a pier the land relative to sea level. coast to a maximum height of 35 feet facility near Kenai. Indirect damage Destructive waves of local origin above tide lerei. At the communities from fissuring and differential settling struck during or immediately after the described, they virtually destroyed two of foundation mterials in the vicinity ea~thquakethroughout much of Prince logging camps at \IThidbey Bay and of the Cordova aiffield mused damage William Sound, the southern Kenai Puget Bay on the south coast of the to a building, underground utilities, an Peninsula, and the shores of Kenai Kenai Peninsula, caused moderate aiffield fill, and the highway. Minor Uke. In Prince William Sound, waves damage to boat harbors and docks at amountrs of direct and indirect damsage demolished all but one home at the Seldovia and Cordova,