Peach, I don't recall in all my 59 years ever hearing of an earthquake hitting 9.0. My husband said there was one in Alaska in 1965 but I don't remember hearing about it. I was in Nursing school then and probably too busy studying and on time off, well we would be drinking LOL. Thank God I grew up!
Canadian Outrage: I don't remember a 9.0 either and hope to never experience one! We didn't have 24/7 news in the 60's may be one reason I don't remember. And LOL about growing up :-)
I could say almost exactly the same thing. I'm also 59, I was in college and I don't recall the earthquake/tsunami - I read about it years later. It was far away, only 125 people died (mostly in Hilo, Hawaii). If a thousand people had died on the mainland, it would be remembered.
I have a vague memory of the huge earthquake in Alaska in the 60's, at least having seen photos of some of the devastation. I hope we don't have anything that huge on any of the faults over where I live. If something like that happens, I hope I'm not on one of the Bay Area bridges or one of the freeway overpasses at the time.