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### Effects of the earthquake of March 27, 1964, at Whittier, 
Alaska: Chapter B in The Alaska earthquake, March 27, 1964: effects on 
communities

#### Professional Paper 542-B

###### This report is Chapter B in The Alaska earthquake, March 27, 1964: 
effects on communities.  For more information, see: Professional Paper 542.

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#### Links

- More information: **USGS 
  Index Page**                                (html)
- Document: **Document**                                
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- Plates:
- **Plate 1**                                
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- **Plate 2**                                
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- **Plate 3**                                
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- Paper 
  version: **USGS Store**
- Download citation as:  RIS

#### Abstract

Whittier, Alaska, lying at the western end of Passage Canal, is an ocean 
terminal of The Alaska Railroad. The earthquake that shook south-central Alaska 
at 5:36 p.m. (Alaska Standard Time) on March 27, 1964, took the lives of 13 
persons and caused more than $5 million worth of damage to Government and 
private property at Whittier.

Seismic motion lasted only 21⁄2-3 minutes, but when it stopped the Whittier 
waterfront was in shambles land the port facilities were inoperable. Damage was 
caused by (1) a 5.3-foot subsidence of the landmass, sufficient to put some of 
the developed land under water during high tides, (2) seismic shock, (3) 
fracturing of fill and unconsolidated sediments, (4) compaction of fill and 
unconsolidated deposits, (5) submarine landslides which generated waves that 
destroyed part of The Alaska Railroad roadbed and other property, (6) at least 
two, but probably three, waves generated by landslides, which completely wrecked 
the buildings of two lumber companies, the stub pier, the small-boat harbor, the 
car-barge slip dock, and several homes, and (7) fire that destroyed the 
fuel-storage tanks at the Whittier waterfront.

Many buildings and other facilities were totally wrecked, others were damaged 
to lesser degrees. For example, the 14-story reinforced concrete Hodge Building, 
which rests upon at least 44 feet of sandy gravel, was moderately damaged by 
seismic shock, but the six-story reinforced-concrete Buckner Building, which 
rests upon bedrock, was only slightly damaged.

#### Study Area



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