How many people died in the 1946 Alaska earthquake?

165 casualties
Description. The 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake occurred near the Aleutian Islands on April 1, 1946, and generated a Pacific-wide tsunami. The magnitude 8.1 earthquake caused 165 casualties.

What caused the 1946 Aleutian tsunami?

A Pacific-wide tsunami was triggered by the earthquake, which had a surface-wave magnitude of 7.8, an epicenter of 52.8° N, 163.5° W, and a focal depth of 25 km. Before the tsunami dissipated it took the lives of more than 165 people and cause over $26 million (1946 dollars) in damage.

Where did the earthquake that started the Hilo tsunami of April 1 1946 occur?

1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake
The 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake occurred near the Aleutian Islands, Alaska on April 1. The shock had a moment magnitude of 8.6 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VI (Strong).

How fast was the 1946 tsunami moving?

The waves traveled southward to Hawaii with an average speed of roughly 490 miles an hour, a wave length of nearly 100 miles, and a height in the open sea which is thought to have been 2 feet or less.

What island did the tsunami hit in Hawaii?

HILO
HILO, BIG ISLAND (HawaiiNewsNow) – Seventy-five years ago, on April Fools’ Day 1946, the most destructive tsunami in Hawaii’s modern history barreled onto island shorelines. The first waves hit Hawaii Island as the day was just beginning: People were headed to work and to school.

Has there ever been a tsunami in Alaska?

Description. The 1964 Alaska Tsunami was generated by a 9.2 magnitude earthquake, the largest ever recorded in North America. The state suffered enormous damage, and the resulting tsunami waves reached as high as 27 feet in some areas.

Is there a tsunami watch for Hawaii?

There is no tsunami threat to the Hawaiian Islands, based on the newest reports. UPDATE: The USGS has updated the earthquake from a M-8.1 to a M-8.2.

Where did the tsunami hit on April 1, 1946?

In the middle of the night on April 1, 1946, an undersea earthquake in the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska triggered a massive tsunami that killed 159 people in Hawaii. Approximately 13,000 feet below the ocean’s surface a 7.4 magnitude tremor was recorded in the North Pacific, triggering deadly tidal waves through the Pacific.

Where was the Aleutian Islands earthquake in 1946?

The 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake occurred near the Aleutian Islands, Alaska on April 1. The shock had a moment magnitude of 8.6 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VI (Strong).

How big was the tsunami that hit Unimak Island?

Unimak Island was hit by the tsunami shortly after the quake. An enormous wave estimated at nearly 100 feet high crashed onto the shore. A lighthouse located 30 feet above sea level, where five people lived, was smashed to pieces by the wave; all five were killed instantly.