60 years ago today: A 6.7 earthquake hit killing 7 people, causing $12.5 million in damages

OTD 60 years ago: April 29, 1965, a 6.7 earthquake struck 12 miles north of Tacoma, killing 7 people and causing about $12.5 million (in 1965 dollars).

“The largest building damage was undoubtedly incurred by the Boeing aircraft plants; one at Renton and the other in southwestern Seattle,” according to the Mineral Information Service in a report at the time. “In these two plants, both located on natural mud flats and artificial fill, floors settled away from the foundation piling, much interior concrete block was cracked, fluorescent light fixtures were down, acoustical ceiling tile fell, and concrete tiles fell away from structural steel members.”

The 1965 earthquake was felt in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and in British Columbia, Canada.

Minor damage was widespread through Seattle to Everett on the north and to Olympia on the south and extended from a few miles east of Renton to almost as far west as the Hood Canal. Three persons were killed by falling debris, one in downtown Seattle and two on Harbor Island, according to the July 1965 Mineral Information Service report.

Most of the damage in Seattle was concentrated in areas of filled ground, including Pioneer Square and the waterfront, both with many older masonry buildings. Nearly every waterfront building experienced damage. The low-lying and filled areas along the Duwamish River and its mouth settled, causing severe damage at Harbor Island; slumping occurred along a steep slope near Admiral Way.

Buildings with unreinforced brick-bearing walls with sand-lime mortar were damaged most severely. Multistory buildings generally had slight or no damage. However, the Legislative Building was damaged and temporarily closed. Government activities moved to nearby motels. The Legislative Building in Olympia would sustain more damage in the 2001 Nisqually earthquake.

Many buildings had already sustained damage from a 6.8 earthquake that happened 26 years earlier, on April 13, 1949, near Olympia killing 8 people and injuring many more. Property damage from the 1949 quake was estimated at $25 million (in 1949 dollars).

Learn more: https://www.historylink.org/File/1986
Prepare with emergency kits: https://mil.wa.gov/kits