dolphins in the booming ground were snapped off. Log booms, loose logs, 

 and boom boats were swept out of the bay. 



In the Juan de Fuca Strait and the Strait of Georgia at the south 

 of Vancouver Island (Figure 78) no serious damage was reported. The 

 waves penetrated up the Fraser River and were recorded on the water- 

 level gage at Pitt Lake, a fresh water tidal lake over 30 miles from 

 the sea (Figure 78). For greater details of the above damage survey, 

 the reader is referred to Wigen and White {196k), White (1966), and 

 Spaeth and Berkman (1967). 



2, Tsunami Damage at Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, Canada 



The twin cities, Alberni and Port Alberni (Figure 206), are 

 an industrial center noted for pulp, paper, and plywood. They are lo- 

 cated at the head of Alberni Inlet about Uo miles from the west coast 

 of Vancouver Island. As noted in Section III, the inlet is a narrow 

 channel, ranging from less than 1/2 mile to about 1 mile in width, lead- 

 ing inland from Barkley Sound (Figure 78). Its depth varies somewhat 

 irregularly over its length from more than 100 fathoms near its mouth 

 to about 30 fathoms and less near its head. 



The first tsunami surge began at the head of the Alberni Inlet just 

 before midnight on the night of the earthquake, and reached its peak at 

 12:15 a.m., P.s.t., March 28. Fortunately, this first wave served as a 

 warning for the second, higher wave which crested about 1 3/^ hours later, 

 Some residents of low-lying areas were alerted by flooding which had 

 taken place in their homes. Others were warned by the Royal Canadian 

 yiounted Police, by workers of the Department of Social Welfare, and by 

 volunteer helpers. Families affected moved out of low-lying areas 

 to find temporary shelter in the homes of friends or in public and 

 commercial facilities made available (White, I966). 



Local civic and welfare agencies and volunteer emergency organiza- 

 tions quickly took rescue measures to cope with the rapidly developing 

 disaster. On the following day in the Alberni Fire Hall, Provincial 

 Civil Defense authorities set up headquarters for the purpose of co- 

 ordinating rescue operations in cooperation with the civic authorities 

 of the two cities. 



Damage has been estimated at $5 million in the Alberni-Port Alberni 

 area, exclusive of damage to heavy industry and private automobiles, 

 which probably doubles the figure (Spaeth and Berkman, I967 , Table E-5, 

 Appendix E). Most severe loss occurred in the low- lying areas bordering 

 the head of the Alberni Inlet and along the northeast bank of the Somass 

 River (Figure 206). The waves surged to the head of the inlet and out 

 across the low-lying residential area on the north side of the Somass 

 River, carrying with them houses, logs, boats, and any other moveable 

 objects that lay in their path. Following the crest of the waves, the 

 recessions tended to carry the floating structures back toward their 



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