Yes
the shaker was a big one, but fortunately the epicenter was located about
90 miles south of Fairbanks, near the Denali Park area (very few people
living in the area). There were reports from all over the state of people
feeling the shake, but no deaths or serious injuries have come to light.
We have heard that the effects were felt as far away as Lake Ponchitrain
in Louisiana where some boaters could see the wave action pick up. A number
of boathouses in Seattle were torn loose from their moorings, but no major
damages. Here we have heard that the quake lasted between 30 and
45 seconds with several dozens of aftershocks, mostly in the interior.
Damages in Anchorage was minimal and the feeling of the earth moving sideways
was what most folks were aware of. The earthquake epicenter was supposed
to be shallow, only a few kilometers below, making the effects more obvious.
Most damages were to highways and roads having sinking soils and fissures
that in some cases that opened cracks in the pavement as deep as 18 to
20 feet. One trucker was on the highway near the center when it happened
and was left straddeling a fissure that was about 10 feet deep. He was
ok and said it was quite an experience. |