Coastal communities were hit hardest. Here in Valdez the harbor collapsed into the depths, dragging a ship down with it and killing 30 people. Nearby a 27 foot (8 meter) tsunami wiped out a native village, killing 23 more.

The town of Valdez was rebuilt four miles west on solider ground and with better tsunami protection. Almost nothing remains of the original town.

Across the bay can be seen the Alyeska terminal, where crude oil from the Alaska Pipeline is loaded into tankers to be taken south to refineries in California.