1 April 1946, Mw 8.6, Aleutian Islands, USA

Photo below shows people fleeing in Hilo Hawaii. An earthquake occurred on April 1, 1946 in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Near the source of the earthquake, at Unimak Island, huge tsunami waves reached more than 100 feet above sea level and destroyed completely the newly built, U.S. Coast Guard's Scotch Cap lighthouse. All 5 men of its crew were killed. The lighthouse was a steel-reinforced concrete structure and its base was at about 90 feet above sea level. To Unimak Island and other area of Alaska this was a local event giving no warning other than natural cues. The tsunami arrived 4.9 hours in Hilo after the tsunami was generated. It caused $26 million (1946 dollars) and 96 people lost their lives. For Hilo, this was a distant event. There was no Tsunami Warning Center in 1946 but if people would have been educated on the tsunami hazard and understood tsunami natural cues, lost of life in Hilo would have been minimal to none.

Source: Photo 1: Bishop Museum Archives; Photo 2: NOAA/NGDC, U.S. Navy (www.ndgc.noaa.gov).