March 28, 1964 Gulf of Alaska Tsunami Damage along the California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska coasts


See References for information sources.


Location Amplitude (m) Damage Summary
Klawock, AK 4.6 Docks, bridge and three dwellings destroyed.
Sitka, AK 2.1 Docks collapsed, minor boat damage.
Pelican, AK ? Several homes damaged, boats lost.
Hoonah, AK ? Minor damage due to broken mooring lines.
Lynn Canal, AK ? Marine cable broken.
Cape St. Elias, AK 3.0 One drowned during rescue.
Cordova, AK 4.2 Houses, buildings damaged. Boats and docks also damaged. $1.7M damage.
Point Whitshed, AK ? One drowned, 10 cabins destroyed.
Valdez Inlet, AK 67.1 One person missing at Anderson Bay, cabin destroyed. Navigation light destroyed in Valdez Narrows.
Valdez, AK 6.1 31 deaths. Many injured. Large section of land under city dock slid into Inlet triggering wave. Wave reached more than 2 blocks inland. Fires burned at waterfront for two weeks. 68 of 70 boats at dock destroyed. Town relocated later. $12.5M to $15M in damage.
Whittier, AK 13.1 13 dead, fires burned for 3 days, $10M in damage.
Perry Island, AK 7.6 Boathouse and boat lost.
Port Nellie Juan, AK 15.0 Three dead. Dock destroyed, barge beached.
Point Nowell, AK 12.0 One dead. Several buildings demolished.
Chenega, AK 27.4 23 deaths. All buildings destroyed except for one house and the school. Most boats lost. Town relocated after earthquake. $100K damage.
Port Oceanic, AK 11.9 Boats, dock, cannery damaged.
Latouche, AK ? Piers and buildings damaged.
Crab Bay, AK 6.1 One dead. Dock and boats damaged.
Puget Bay, AK ? Machinery destroyed.
Whidbey Bay, AK 15.2 Logging camp destroyed.
Seward, AK 8.3 12 dead, 200 injured, section of dock slid into Resurrection Bay, many fires, much of town destroyed, $14M damage.
Perl Island, AK 9.0 Cattle drowned.
Homer, AK 6.0 Some boats damaged, restaurant and buildings flooded.
Seldovia, AK 1.2 Boat harbor damaged. $500K damage.
Afognak, AK 3.4 23 of 28 structures damaged. 2 bridges detroyed. Town relocated after earthquake to Port Lions.
Ouzinkie, AK 9.1 Severe waterfront damage. Boats destroyed. $500K damage.
City of Kodiak, AK 6.8 Nine deaths. Downtown/boat harbor extensively damaged, over 100 boats destroyed, 215 structures destroyed, $31M in damage.
Women's Bay, AK 7.6 Severe damage to Naval Station. $10M in damage
Kalsin Bay, AK ? Six dead, road flooded, cattle drowned, house damaged.
Saltery Cove, AK ? Ranch destroyed and cattle drowned.
Shearwater Bay, AK 7.8 Cannery destroyed. 31 boats lost.
Old Harbor, AK 7.3 One dead. 30 of 38 houses destroyed. Many boats lost. $150K damage.
Larsen Bay, AK 1.2 Cattle drowned, small buildings lost.
Kaguyak, AK 9.8 3 dead. All houses lost. $50K damage. Village abandoned after earthquake.
Shield's Bay, BC 9.8 Logging camp severely damaged.
Winter Harbor, BC ? Boat beached, log piles moved.
Port Alice, BC ? Wharves washed away, boats lost.
Fair Harbor, BC ? Bridges damaged.
Amai, BC ? 10 buildings damaged, 37 homeless, telephone system destroyed.
Zeballos, BC ? 30 homes moved from foundation.
Gold River, BC ? Dormitory buildings flooded 2 feet.
Hot Springs Cove, BC ? 16 of 18 houses destroyed. $100K damage.
Port Alberni, BC 6.4 $10M damage. 58 buildings completely detroyed, 320 damaged, 694 homeless. Buildings swept in 1000 ft. Log booms and boats in inlet carried onshore. North bank of Somass R. suffered greatest damage.
La Push, WA 1.0 Boats and dock broke loose from moorings.
Taholah, WA 0.7 Fishing skiffs and fishnets ($1K value) were lost. One man hospitalized for shock.
Wreck Creek, WA 4.5 $500 damage to highway bridge.
Moclips, WA 3.4 1 Mile of sea wall damaged, $6000 damage to eight houses, bulkheads, and road, several cars lost.
Pacific Beach, WA ? $12K damage to buildings, vehicles lost, 1 injured
Joe Creek, WA 2.4 Bridge washed out, $75K damage (including Copalis R. bridge)
Boone Creek, WA ? Minor road and building damage
Copalis, WA ? Copalis R. bridge collapsed, trailers and cars damaged.
Westport, WA ? One fishing boat wrecked. Oyster beds damaged.
Aberdeen, WA ? Cars and trailers damaged. Log rafts broken from moors on Chehalis River.
Willapa Bay, WA ? Bone R. bridge damaged. Oyster beds damaged.
Ilwaco, WA 3.1 Cars, dock damaged. Oyster beds detroyed.
Warrenton, OR ? Waterfront and log rafts damaged. $20K damage.
Gearhart, OR 1.4 One home flooded and one cabin moved by waves.
Seaside, OR ? Most damage occurred away from coast near the Necanicum River and Neawanna River banks. $276K damage. One dead from heart attack. Many bridges damaged. Large areas flooded.
Cannon Beach, OR ? Many houses, bridges, and motels damaged. $230K damage. Elk Creek area had much of the damage.
Depoe Bay, OR 3.5 $5K in damages.
Newport, OR 3.5m in Yaquina Bay Four children camping on beach drowned. Some damage in Newport (about $6K).
Waldport, OR ? Dock area sustained heavy damage. $160K total in damage.
Yachats, OR ? Two motels damaged.
Florence, OR 3.7 near Siuslaw River mouth Much boat damage and trailer/house damage near shore ($50K in damage).
Umpqua River Mouth, OR 1.7 20-30 knot currents observed. Some damage in Winchester Bay harbor.
Charleston, Coos Bay, OR 1.4 Most damage at small boat basin and Hanson's landing. Approximately $50K in damage. Wave was negligible by time it reached Pony Pont.
Sunset Beach, OR ? Damage to picnic and camping areas.
Brandon, OR ? Minor damage reported.
Rogue River, OR 2.9 Damage to small boats and docks.
Winchuk River, OR ? Three homes damaged and minor bridge damage.
Smith River, CA ? Damage to a dock ($6K).
Crescent City, CA 4.8 10 drowned, 24 injured. Damage estimates from $7M to $15M. Worst tsunami damage along the U.S. West Coast in recorded history. 91 houses damaged, 21 boats lost, 12 house trailers lost, 172 businesses damaged or destroyed.
Klamath River, CA ? 1 drowned, damage to docks and boats.
Eureka Boat Basin, CA ? Little damage, some flooding.
Noyo, CA 2.0 10-20 boats sunk, 100 damaged. Damage estimates from $250K to $1M. Current estimated at approximately 30 knots.
Bodega Bay, CA 0.8 Some damage to navigational aides. Eight knot currents reported.
Tomales Bay, CA 1.0 Damage to docks ($6K), approximately 20 knot currents reported.
Bolinas, CA ? 1 person drowned 13 hours after tsunami's first arrival
San Francisco Bay, CA up to 1.5m Damage to boats and docks throughout the bay, especially severe at San Rafael. Estimated damage $1M.
Half Moon Bay, CA ? Some damage to boats.
Santa Cruz, CA 1.5 Dredge sank, some boats damaged, $100K damage.
Monterey, CA 1.4 Some utilities damaged.
Morro Bay, CA ? Several boats damaged and damge to docks.
Avila, CA 1.8 Boats broke loose from moorings.
Santa Barbara, CA 0.8 Minor damage.
Santa Monica, CA 1.0 Damage to boats and horbor ($100K).
Los Angeles, CA 0.6 Three boats sunk, many broke loose from moorings, damage estimates $175K to $275K.
San Diego, CA 0.6 Minor damage.


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