The Great Alaskan Earthquake
Part of Hall of Planet Earth.
AMNH/R.Mickens On March 27, 1964, one of the largest earthquakes of the 20th century occurred in southern Alaska. It was caused by the sudden failure of a fault, or fracture, 20 to 50 kilometers below the surface. The fault slipped about 10 meters over an area 600 kilometers long and 200 kilometers wide.
