Ten-Year Earthquake Cycle

February 1977 seems to be adding one more positive data point to the apparent ten-year cycle of earthquake activity in the Fairbanks area.

The News Miner headline on July 22, 1937, read "Fairbanks hit by its worst quake." At the bottom of the same page and extending clear across the page was an ad, "Earthquake Insurance--Alaska Insurance Agency--call John Butrovich, Jr." This magnitude 7.5 quake blocked the Richardson Highway at 33 Mile Bluff and ruined many bottles of liquor in Fairbanks.

The magnitude 7 earthquake of October 16, 1947, was less severe and fewer bottles were broken in Fairbanks stores. From the previous earthquake, area merchants had learned the value of containment wires across open shelves. One wonders if they also followed up on John Butrovich's ad. Earthquakes of May 1958 were strongly felt in Fairbanks but they actually were located nearer Manley Hot Springs.

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake on June 21, 1967, caused minor damage and the temporary evacuation of Basset Army Hospital.

So far the 1977 earthquake swarms have contained no shocks of comparable size to those of 10, 20, 30 and 40 years ago. The largest so far, magnitude 4.2 on February 27, is many times smaller than the previous main shocks. What the rest of 1977 will bring is hard to say. The worst may be past, but simple precautions such as wires across bottle carrying shelves will do no harm.