Alaska News

Events, exhibits, memorials marking the 50th anniversary of 1964 Alaska earthquake

Thursday, March 27

• The Great Alaska Shake Out earthquake drill will be held at 1:36 p.m. Families and organizations will get prepared for big earthquakes by practicing how to "drop, cover and hold on" and other aspects of your emergency plans. Emergency management personnel are hoping to register up to 100,000 Alaskans to participant. Register online. (shakeout.org/alaska)

• A commemoration, "Remembering the Great Quake," will include the staff of the U.S. Geological Survey, state and local officials with community leaders recalling the devastation wrought by the earthquake at 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Anchorage Museum, 625 C St. Participants will observe 4 minutes and 38 seconds of silence at 5:36 p.m. A video link to the event will be available at the Egan Center, where photos of the 1964 Earthquake will be on display and opportunity will be provided for earthquake survivors to record their stories. (929-9201, anchoragemuseum.org)

• Several communities in Alaska will practice tsunami drills between 10:15 and 10:45 a.m. on Thursday. The drill will include sounding tsunami warning sirens and sending messages on TV or radio stations stating that a tsunami warning has been issued for all of Alaska. An "all clear" message will be issued following the siren test. Remember that it is not a real emergency. Do not evacuate or call 911.

• Anchorage Community Theatre's "Seismic Celebration" will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Good Friday Earthquake with scenes and music numbers from the last 60 seasons, live and silent auctions and the official announcement of the 2014-15 season. Lobby opens at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, Grant Hall, Alaska Pacific University, $50. (344-4713, actalaska.org)

• Russian Orthodox churches in Alaska will ring bells in a "full peeling" to commemorate the earthquake. Tolling of all bells in a church will begin at 5:34 p.m. and last for two minutes, followed by two minutes of silence then two minutes of striking the largest bell once every 10 seconds.

• "1964 Earthquake Experience," a film by local filmmaker Jonathan Lang, will be presented every half hour noon-7 p.m. Thursday at the Alaska Experience Theatre, 333 W. Fourth Ave. $8.95. (272-9076, alaskaexperiencetheatre.com)

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March 27 - April 2

• From March 27 to April 2, federal, state, nonprofit and other organizations will conduct a readiness exercise, based out of the State Emergency Operation Center on JBER and the Egan Civic & Convention Center in Anchorage. The Alaska Shield Full Scale Exercise will take place in 13 communities. Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley, Kenai Peninsula, Seward, Cordova, Valdez, Kodiak, Homer, Ketchikan, Juneau, Fort Greely, Unalaska and Fairbanks/North Pole will participate. The purpose is to test state and federal agencies ability to respond to a massive disaster emergency and to educate members of the public about how they can become better prepared for such disasters. Details on the operation and suggestions for an emergency kit and other preparations can be found online. (ready.alaska.gov and ready.alaska.gov/prepare)

March 27-28

• As part of the Alaska Shield exercise, medical personnel will practice the response to a catastrophic disaster. Volunteers to play the part of patients are being sought, as are licensed health care providers. Days and hours are flexible. Volunteers must be at least 7 years old. Participants ages 13-17 may take part with a parent or guardian's written approval. Register online. (haleborealis.com)

Ongoing

• On March 27, the Egan location of the Valdez Museum will unveil "A Moving Experience: A Look Back at the Good Friday Earthquake," the museum's newest permanent exhibition. Funded by the City of Valdez and the Rasmuson Foundation, the exhibit features an Old Town kitchen set mid-quake and a new look at the experience of the earthquake and its effects on Valdez, including rarely-seen artifacts and photographs from the museum's collection.

• Also at the Valdez Museum, the Hazelet Ave. location will be open for special hours March 27– April 5, extending viewing opportunities for visitors. This location features the "Remembering Old Valdez Exhibit," a scale model of Old Valdez as it appeared in 1963 before the earthquake. This location also features the documentary "Between the Glacier and the Sea," a touch-screen kiosk featuring personal interviews with earthquake survivors, a furnished section of an Old Town house and exhibits about Valdez's firefighting history. Extended hours at this location are 12 - 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, through April 5.

Share stories and photos of the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake. (www.ready.alaska.gov/64quake)

April 3

• "Chenega is Gone," a documentary about the tsunami that destroyed the village of Chenega will be shown and survivors of the disaster will be on hand to speak about their experiences. The free event will take place at 7 p.m. on April 3 at the Anchorage Museum.

April 11

• "Riskland: Remembering the 1964 Earthquake," a new exhibit on the science and history of the Great Alaska Earthquake will open Sunday, April 11 at the Anchorage Museum, 625 C St.

-- Compiled by Mike Dunham

By MIKE DUNHAM

mdunham@adn.com

Mike Dunham

Mike Dunham has been a reporter and editor at the ADN since 1994, mainly writing about culture, arts and Alaska history. He worked in radio for 20 years before switching to print.

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