TSUNAMI DAMAGE AT KODIAK, ALASKA, AND CRESCENT CITY, CALIFORNIA, FROM ALASKAN EARTHQUAKE OF 27 MARCH 1964

A survey of water wave damage to waterfront facilities at Kodiak, Alaska, and Crescent City, California, made about one week after the 27 March 1964 Alaskan earthquake of about 8.3 Richter scale indicates light to moderate damage from four to ten feet inundation and heavy damage from impact by wave- driven ships and debris. The series of six seismic sea waves at Kodiak had crests ranging from 15 to 24 feet above MLLW and periods varying from 27 to 90 minutes. The largest wave at Crescent reached 21 feet above MLLW and had a period of 55 minutes. It is concluded that at Kodiak and Crescent City Piers with moored ships had decking damaged piers with adequate deck-pile connections did not have decking uplifted lines to large buoys not designed for full submergence fishing boats moored in harbor were damaged by breakaways, grounding, and sinking single-story, light-frame structures did not survive well multi-story buildings demonstrated good resistance powerplants, communication lines, equipment and vehicles had functional failure when submerged. Reconstruction of all low-lying sections of cities and ports should consider defense against tsunami.