The Great Alaskan Earthquake
Part of Hall of Planet Earth.
Part of Hall of Planet Earth.
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.