1946 Earthquake

[GLG]

I was surfing the web today and found this little tidbit that I thought I would share.
It came from a database at the NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center

quote:
June 23, 1946
There was a very strong earthquake in western Canada and in the northwestern United States. In the epicentral zone, it lasted about a half minute and caused numerous slides and subsidences of the loose ground. Many points of low-lying accumulative coastal relief forms: beaches at steep cliffs, spits, etc., disappeared.

The end of the spit, which cuts off Deep Bay, disappeared under water. The depth of the water to the north of the spit increased from 1.5 to 30 m. Apparently, the wave resulting from this slide reached the lighthouse situated to the east on Sisters Rock. Acoording to the lighthouse attendant, a wave 2-2.5 m high rolled onto the little island 7 minutes after the earthquake; a second wave 0.25-0.5 m high moved in at a distance of 30 m from the first; the velocity of the waves was 10 knots.

A section of coast with a pier on Goose Spit which cuts off the entrance to Comox Harbor, subsided more than 0.5 m. Waves about a meter high were observed near the slide which occurred here.

Some sections subsided on Rebecca Spit, which cuts off Drew Harbor on the eastern coast of Quadra Island. According to a forest worker, a moment after the earthquake, the water level oscillated between the high and low tide marks at another place on this island. The water, which had been clear, became turbid. The fish did not bite for two weeks. A large tract of agricultural lands on Reid Island dropped 6-9 m.

In Alberni Bay opposite Franklin Creek, the water increased more than 30 m in depth. The underwater cable was broken and partially buried by detritus. In the words of an eyewitness, a roller 6-9 m high, arose on the surface of the water here. The roller then scattered along the axis of the bay and turned into small tidal waves, which were observed on its shores.

According to Hodgson (reference #2598), who carefully examined the epicenter zone of the earthquake, there were no real tsunami waves. Only these local waves arose, which were generated by collapses and suspension currents. A distinctive feature of this earthquake was the almost total absence of recurrent shocks.
(above from reference #415)

I like that part about the fish.
This event was before my time. Anyone remember this?
GLG

 

[Kildonan]

My dad told me about this quake. He was in the Alberni valley when it occurred, he said the ground was rolling under their feet when they stood in the yard and was by far the strongest quake he ever felt. I thought this one was centered near Comox lake.

 

[cuttlefish]

Speaking of quakes in '46, check out this link.
http://www.usc.edu/dept/tsunamis/alaska/index.html
Once there, be sure to check out the '58 quake and the tsunami that ran through Lituya Bay. Egad!

 

[Dave H]

Wow!

Brings back a memory for me.

Back in the winter of 1980-81 I took a gal pal to Kauai with me to visit and stay with another surfer pal. One day Al and I were at the lookout above Kalihiwai Bay checking the surf when an old beater pickup pulled in.
Out hopped an older local guy and I started talking with him.
Turns out he was William (Boy) Akano, the patriarch of one of the longtime families who lived in the valley there.
Among the many topics we covered were the two tsunamis of 1946 and 1957. He'd seen both of them and described what happened and how the bridge over the river had been carried a quarter mile upstream among other things.
His family had lived there for 400 years he told me.
He mentioned also that they had no warning for the 1946 wave and had a half dozen or so deaths from that one, but had ample warning in '57 so nobody perished.

Hadn't thought about that for a long time.
Thanks for rekindling an old memory.

Take care.

 

[lazoman]

http://www.drgeorgepc.com/Tsunami1964Canada.html

Port Alberni was hardest hit in 64:

"The shape and configuration of the inlet were the reason for the extensive flooding that occurred at Alberni and Port Alberni. The first wave to reach the head of the inlet caused major flooding but was not particularly damaging. It served as a warning for people to evacuate. It was the second wave - almost an hour later - that came with much greater force and caused the greater damage by carrying homes and cars inland. A total of 375 dwellings were damaged, with 55 being totally lost.

Other areas of Vancouver island sustained damage. At the village of Hot Springs Cove, 16 of its 18 homes were destroyed. At the community of Zeballos, 30 dwellings were moved off their foundations and their contents were damaged. At the small logging community of Amai, 10 homes were damaged."

 

[lazoman]

http://earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/histor/20th-eme/1946/1946-eng.php

Courtenay Museum (then post office) was damaged in the 46 quake at Forbidden Plateau.

No I wasn't there........[^]

 

[Tsquared]

If you like a good hike, it's interesting to start at the Elk River and hike up to Mt. Colonel Foster. As you get near the lake, you can see evidence of a big flood that came down the creek. During the 1946 quake, half of the mountain slid into the lake, causing it to overflow and roar down the creek bed, knocking down trees, etc. The mountain itself looks like someone took a knife and sliced it in half.
T2

No Rigours