March 27, 1964 5:36 PM

[Dionne]

Today is the anniversary of the Great Alaskan Earthquake. 9.2 on the Richter scale.

A day in my life that I will never forget.

[Category 5]

Where you there?

[Dionne]

Where you there?

Yep, I was 13 y/o. We lived on Turnagain Arm. We lost everything. Our home was heavily damaged during the earthquake. When the tide came in, waters from Cook Inlet finished the deal. We did not experience a tsunami. Our land area had subsidence of 8 feet. The tide just kept coming in.....places it had never been before.

[MGC]

How far were you from the epicenter? Was is a strong jolt or a series of rockers?....MGC

[Dionne]

How far were you from the epicenter? Was is a strong jolt or a series of rockers?....MGC

We were around 80 miles from the epicenter. Duration of the earthquake was around 3 minutes. Some say it was longer. When the quake first hit we thought it was our furnace about to blow up. (Which was a common problem in the Anchorage area back in the sixties.) The intensity we experienced was severe. Our home was built on unstable clay (unknown to us at the time). The longer the ground kept shaking the more liquefaction became evident. As I have mentioned before.....my most profound memory of the entire event were the first minutes after the earthquake. Panic ensued as everyone sought higher ground. My first real experience with fear.