N.B.: The Andreanof Islands, Alaska earthquake of 1957 03 09, previously listed with a magnitude of 9.1, has had its magnitude reviewed, and it was updated to 8.6.

This great earthquake destroyed two bridges on Adak Island, damaged houses, and left a 4.5 meter crack in a road. On Umnak Island, part of a dock was destroyed, and Mount Vsevidof erupted after being dormant for 200 years. Further, this shock generated a 15 meter tsunami that smashed into the coastline at Scotch Cap and an 8 meter tsunami that washed away many buildings and damaged oil lines extensively at Sand Bay. This tsunami continued to Hawaii, where it destroyed two villages and inflicted about $5 million in property damage on Oahu and Kauai Islands. The tsunami also caused minor damage in San Diego Bay, California, before traveling to such distant countries as Chile, El Salvador, Japan, and other areas in the Pacific region. More than 300 aftershocks were reported along the southern edge of the Aleutians, from Unimak Island to Amchitka Pass.

Maximum observed Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) VIII

Abridged from Seismicity of the United States, 1568-1989 (Revised), by Carl W. Stover and Jerry L. Coffman, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1527, United States Government Printing Office, Washington: 1993.

Links

1957 Aleutian Tsunami - University of Washington
1957 Aleutian Tsunami - University of Southern California

Event Details

Event Map