1964 Great Alaska Earthquake

The most powerful earthquake in North American history and the second most powerful ever recorded, the Good Friday Earthquake lasted approximately 4.5 minutes and caused massive ground deformation across south-central Alaska. The resulting tsunamis devastated coastal communities, with waves reaching as far as Crescent City, California, where 11 people died. The earthquake triggered major advances in plate tectonics theory and led to the establishment of the U.S. tsunami warning system.