The 1964 Good Friday earthquake occurred in Alaska.
Also called the Great Alaska earthquake, it struck south-central Alaska on March 27, 1964, at 5:36 p.m. local time. The megathrust earthquake ruptured part of the Aleutian Megathrust near Prince William Sound and is generally measured at magnitude 9.2–9.3, making it the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in North America.
The shaking lasted roughly four minutes and thirty-eight seconds. It caused landslides, soil liquefaction, major coastal uplift and subsidence, and destructive tsunamis. Anchorage suffered severe landslide damage, while coastal communities including Valdez, Seward, Whittier, Kodiak, and Chenega were badly affected.
The disaster was not limited to Alaska. Tsunami waves reached British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California, causing additional deaths and damage. About 139 people died, most in Alaska. The name “Good Friday earthquake” comes from the fact that March 27 fell on Good Friday in 1964; it is not a reference to the state where the tsunami effects were later observed.