Earthquakes (difference between)

[NCN]

Latest Earthquakes - Last 7 Days

I check out the above site almost every day. I had no idea that America has so many earthquakes. I guess I just have too much time on my hands since I retired.

[pw72]

Originally Posted by North Carolina Native

Latest Earthquakes - Last 7 Days

I check out the above site almost every day. I had no idea that America has so many earthquakes. I guess I just have too much time on my hands since I retired.

Let me just say that in my two years living in Anchorage, I felt more earthquakes than in my entire 48 years of life. (And most of the rest of my life has been spent in the Pacific Northwest!) None were very big, but could be felt.

Also, as you may already know, one of the biggest ever recorded quakes occured in south-central Alaska on Good Friday, 1964. Fortunately, population was sparse and relatively few were killed. Estimates today call it a 9.0 or greater quake.

[Rance]

I like earthquakes. They make me feel funny inside. Laying in bed...shaking like jello...wondering if this is gonna be the big one! I like em.

[rotorhead]

I guess it take a little reminder from time to time to refresh peoples memory on how small and insignificant we are compared to the world around us. Nothing like the earth moving without our "permission" to let us know who's really in charge.

You know, just "shake things up" a little bit...

Ug, that was bad even by my own, very low, standards of pun humor.

[Raven and Bear]

Rotorhead, I read your posts about being here in 64. I just took my son to the Wildlife Refuge on Turnagain Arm and we saw the old crumbled cabins in what was the town of Portage, from the 64 quake. So fascinating to see the tangible evidence of a major earthquake. My son made me look up Portage on the internet but we couldn't find any photos of what Portage looked like pre-quake. We sound like ghouls, but really we're just really interested in local history. Where can we learn more about what happened to Portage?
Thanks.

[Raven and Bear]

Need morning coffee...sorry to Rotorhead, wrong earthquake and I just aged you way beyond your years. Sorry! Denali earthquake, not the 64 earthquake. Can you forgive me? I don't know what the Denali earthquake is/was. But I was in Seattle for our last big one down there, where entire buildings in Pioneer Square came down. I was in a parking lot and the ground rolled like all the cars were at sea. My son was at daycare, just a little guy, and they all had to get under the tables. He got back out to grab his sandwich and get back under the table, very unimpressed. I on the other hand could barely wobble across the parking lot to a payphone (cells service was out) to call the daycare. Phew. Again sorry about not reading your earthquake post more carefully. I was just so excited to see people talking about quakes when we just yesterday saw the Portage remnants of cabins...

[Rance]

View of the 1898 U.S. Army Expedition camp at Portage. Several tents are scattered amongst the trees. Two men stand outside a dark tent in the middle of the photograph; this was a dark room for handling photographic film. Photograph taken during the 1898 Edwin F. Glenn Cook Inlet U.S. Army Expedition.


Captain Glenn and Captain Culp, wearing dark glasses and snowshoes, pose for a photograph at Portage Bay, Prince William Sound. Photo taken during the 1898 Edwin F. Glenn Cook Inlet U.S. Army Expedition.


Entrance to Portage, Alaska


Flat on north side of Portage


View of men bringing horses and bales of hay ashore from S.S. Dora in small boats with platform


View of road damage from March 27, 1964 earthquake, Seward Highway, Portage, Alaska. Sign reads: "Portage Inn. Bar. Cafe. Hotel." March 1964.


View of high tide and flooding over Alaska Railroad tracks due to land sinkage during March 27, 1964 earthquake, Portage, Alaska. May 1964.


View of helicopter sitting on earthquake damaged Seward Highway, Portage, Alaska, after March 27, 1964 earthquake. Advertising sign to right reads: "Diamond Jim's Bar, Cafe & Liquor Store."


View of March 27, 1964 earthquake damage to what may possibly be Twentymile River bridge on Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm near Portage, Alaska, south of Anchorage. Person stands near car on bridge. April 1964.


View of damage to Seward Highway from March 27, 1964 earthquake, Portage, Alaska.


View of Portage Glacier as seen across Portage Lake in Southcentral Alaska. July 1971. I've been here since late 1967...and this is how I remember Portage Glacier. Lot's of ice and plenty of glacier. Nothing like today.

[Raven and Bear]

Wow, those are amazing pictures. Thank you so much for taking the time to post them. Where did you ever find them? The shot of the small boats with the platform and horses on it is wild. These really give a good idea of how severe that earthquake was and what happened to the town of Portage. The ghost trees that now stand all along the highway by Portage are quite surreal. That entire area of Turnagain Arm is so beautiful, even the ghost-scenery of the earthquake has an awful kind of beauty, too.

Love the dark glasses on Captains Glen and Culp. Thanks again for posting these, my son will love seeing them. He is interested in local history too. We haven't been to Portage Glacier yet.

[Rance]

I think you just about have to take the little tour boat to see the glacier anymore. There is or was a trail you could hike back to it.
I've been collecting old Alaskan photo's for a few years now. Not alot on Portage area as you can see. The first few are from before the earthquake or even a road. The rail road was in before the road actually. It was not until 1940's they even started a road out of Seward that conected to Portage area. I think they started the railroad out of Seward in 1908 which ran to Anchorage. I have some really good pictures but not with me at work.

[Fleet]

Overall, Alaska has more earthquakes than California. Maybe because Alaska has a long coastline and the Aleutian Islands. Also because there is a subduction zone off southern Alaska (similar to the one off Chile which caused the huge 9.5 1960 quake).
And, Alaska has had MANY more large quakes than California...

Region------------------------ Date--- Magnitude
Near Cape Yakataga----------- 1899--- 8.3
Yakutat Bay------------------- 1899--- 8.6
Near Cape Yakataga----------- 1900--- 8.3
Shelikof Strait----------------- 1903--- 8.3
Near Rampart------------------ 1904--- 8.3
Near Amchitka Island----------- 1906--- 8.3
Near Dutch Harbor------------- 1929--- 8.6
East of Shumagin Islands------- 1938--- 8.7
Queen Charlotte Islands (Can.)- 1949-- 8.1
Andreanof Islands-------------- 1957-- 8.2
Southwestern Alaska----------- 1958-- 7.9
Prince William Sound-------------1964-- 8.4 (9.2 Moment Mag.)
Rat Islands--------------------- 1965-- 7.8
Mount St. Elias, Southeast Alask.-1979-- 7.7
Kadak Island-------------------- 1986-- 7.7