 People fleeing the approaching tsunami in Hilo, Hawaii | |
  Anchorage Juneau Fairbanks Adak White Horse King Salmon Unalaska Anadyr St. Paul Nome  | |
| UTC time | 1946-04-01 12:29:01 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 898313 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | April 1, 1946 |
| Local time | 02:29 |
| Magnitude | 7.4 Ms, 8.6 Mw, 9.3 Mt |
| Depth | 15 km (9.3 mi)[1] |
| Epicenter | 53°29′N 162°50′W / 53.49°N 162.83°W[1] |
| Type | Megathrust |
| Areas affected | Hawaii, Alaska United States |
| Max. intensity | MMI VI (Strong) |
| Tsunami | Up to 42 m (138 ft) at Unimak Island |
| Casualties | 165–173[2] |
The 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake occurred near the Aleutian Islands, Alaska on April 1, 1946. The shock measured (Mw) 8.6, Mt 9.3 or (Ms) 7.4. It had a maximum Mercalli intensity of VI (Strong).[3][4] It resulted in 165–173 casualties and over US$26 million in damage. The seafloor along the fault was elevated, triggering a Pacific-wide tsunami with multiple destructive waves at heights ranging from 45–138 ft (14–42 m). The tsunami obliterated the Scotch Cap Lighthouse on Unimak Island, Alaska among others, and killed all five lighthouse keepers. Despite the destruction to the Aleutian Island Unimak, the tsunami had almost an imperceptible effect on the Alaskan mainland.[5]
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
NGDCwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
PAGER-CATwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Okal, Emile; López, Alberto M. (June 2006). "A seismological reassessment of the source of the 1946 Aleutian 'tsunami' earthquake". Geophysical Journal International. 165 (3): 835–849. Bibcode:2006GeoJI.165..835L. doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2006.02899.x.
- ^ Abe, Katsuyuki (1979). "Size of great earthquakes of 1837–1974 inferred from tsunami data". Journal of Geophysical Research. 84 (B4): 1561–1568. Bibcode:1979JGR....84.1561A. doi:10.1029/JB084iB04p01561. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
- ^ "1946 Aleutian Tsunami". University of Southern California. Archived from the original on January 12, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2016.