…1946 Tidal Wave at Princeton….

Thank you John Vonderlin for sending this…(email John: [email protected])

From “United States Tsunamis”

1946, April 1, 12:29. A magnitude 7.8 earthquake in the Aleutian Islands generated a 30-m tsunami on Unimak Island that destroyed Scotch Cap Lighthouse. In California the tsunami caused a rise above normal tides of, 2.6 m at Half Moon Bay, 2.6 m at Bolinas, 2.4 m at Arena Cove, 1.5 m at Morro Bay, 1.5 m at Santa Cruz, 1.4 m at Noyo, 1.3 m at San Luis Obispo, and 1.2-m rise at Avila.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports confirm the unusual heights at Santa Cruz, and at Half Moon Bay, California. At Charleston, Oregon, near Coos Bay, 3 meter waves were observed, and 1.8 m. waves were observed at Clatsop Spit, Oregon, at the mouth of the Columbia River. The wave was 1.5 m at Newport and 1.0 m (range) at Siuslaw River. Other localities reported runups of less than 1.0 m.

At Noyo River, California, 100 fishing boats were thrown 1.8 m up bank. At Half Moon Bay where $1,000 in damage occurred waves swept into the unoccupied Coast Guard barracks loosening the building from its foundation. A house was flooded to the window sills. At nearby Princeton huge boulders weighing up to 70 kilograms were washed as far as high highway and some residences were flooded. Water was about 1 m deep on the road. A shack had a wall cave in, and it was moved 0.6 m from its foundation.

Also, at nearby Granada a 10 m boat was washed onto the highway….”

This entry was posted in 1946 Tidal Wave, Princeton-by-the-Sea. Bookmark the permalink.