March 9, 1957 Tsunami: Andreanof Islands, AK, United States

Reference #542:

This great magnitude 8.1 earthquake generated a tsunami that was recorded throughout the Pacific Ocean basin, producing substantial property damage: 4 sheep ranches were destroyed on Vsevidov Island, fuel dock structures and pipelines were washed away on Adak Island, and $5 million in property damage occurred in Hawaii, including the destruction of 2 villages.

Reference #236:

There were two indirect fatalities, a reporter and a pilot, and injury to a photographer when their small chartered plane crashed in the ocean near Oahu. The reporter and photographer were trying to cover the tsunami's arrival.

Reference #414:

There was a strong earthquake and tsunami with source to the south of the Andreanof Islands. There were no victims...The tsunami, spreading along the entire Pacific, caused damage or was observed visually on the Hawaiian Islands, in Japan and on the coast of North and South America. It was registered by more than 150 tide gauges. The greatest damage was done on the Hawaiian Islands...The wave period varied considerably from station to station, ranging from 7 to 55 minutes with an average value of about 17 minutes for the first onset of the wave, which generally speaking, is small for a source of such impressive size. The tsunami began with flood tide at all the stations with very few exceptions (Antofagasta, and perhaps Wake Island). The surface of the Pacific oscillated for five days until full quiet.

Studying the attenuation of the oscillations on the record of a special tsunami register set up on Wake Island, Van Dorn estimated the energy of the tsunami at 2.5 x 1022 ergs.