Aleutian Islands Earthquake (1946)
Earthquake eventAbout
The 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake occurred on April 1, 1946, near Unimak Island, Alaska. It had a moment magnitude of 8.6 and triggered a devastating tsunami that affected several Pacific regions. The earthquake's epicenter was located at 53.49°N latitude and 162.83°W longitude, with a shallow depth of about 15 km. This event is classified as a megathrust earthquake, resulting from the subduction of the Pacific plate under the North American plate along the Aleutian Trench. The tsunami generated by this earthquake caused significant damage and loss of life, particularly in Hawaii, where it resulted in 159 deaths and substantial economic losses. The waves reached heights of up to 42 meters at Unimak Island and about 17 meters in Hawaii. The disaster led to the establishment of the United States' first tsunami warning system in 1948, which later became the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. This system aimed to mitigate future tsunami hazards by providing early warnings and enhancing public awareness of tsunami risks.
