Anchorage, Alaska Quake - 30.11.18

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the significant earthquake that struck Anchorage, Alaska, on November 30, 2018, including its impact on buildings, infrastructure, and the community's response. Participants share personal reactions, observations, and reflections on the event, as well as comparisons to past earthquakes.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express concern over the extensive damage reported, including collapsed ceiling tiles and buckled roads.
  • A participant highlights the governor's disaster declaration following the earthquakes, emphasizing the magnitude of the events (7.0 and 5.8).
  • Video recordings of the quake are shared, with participants noting the prolonged shaking and their personal reactions to the experience.
  • There are observations about the effectiveness of Alaska's building codes, with some participants noting the absence of fatalities and serious injuries.
  • Critiques are made regarding the resilience of road infrastructure, with suggestions for improvement in design to withstand seismic events.
  • Humorous remarks are made about potential solutions to road integrity, including references to "anti-gravity" and "cartoon physics."

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the severity of the earthquake and its impact on Anchorage, but there are differing views on the adequacy of infrastructure responses and building codes. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best approaches to improve road resilience in seismic areas.

Contextual Notes

Some claims about building codes and infrastructure resilience depend on specific definitions and interpretations of safety standards. The discussion does not resolve the effectiveness of current measures or the potential for future improvements.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in earthquake preparedness, civil engineering, and community responses to natural disasters may find this discussion relevant.

StevieTNZ
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https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/ameri...uildings-in-anchorage-tsunami-warnings-issued

Pretty scary! The damage seems extensive.

The governor of Alaska has issued a disaster declaration after back-to-back earthquakes measuring 7.0 and 5.8 rocked buildings and buckled roads Friday morning in Anchorage in Alaska.
...

Photographs posted to social media sites showed damage that included collapsed ceiling tiles at an Anchorage high school and buckled roads. One image showed a car stranded on an island of pavement, surrounded by cavernous cracks where the earthquake split the road.

The quake also disrupted electrical service and knocked out traffic lights in Anchorage, snarling traffic.
 
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Earth sciences news on Phys.org
Anchorage, Alaska has been hit by a large and close quake.
M 7.0 - 13km N of Anchorage, Alaska

181130 1729UT M7.0 17k N ofg Anchorage, Alaska2.JPG
Dave
 

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Amazing pictures.
DtSYK1pW0AEOA_s.jpg
 

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Thumbs up to Alaska’s strict building codes. Last I heard, no fatalities, no serious injuries, no major structural collapses of buildings. Now, if they would just get their act together and build roads that hold up intact when the ground drops out from under them!
 
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LURCH said:
Now, if they would just get their act together and build roads that hold up intact when the ground drops out from under them!
Be sure to let them know when you invent anti-gravity. :wink:
 
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I plan to use cartoon physics; everything should be OK so long as none of the drivers look down.
 
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