What is the strongest recorded earthquake?
2010 Chile earthquake
This was the strongest earthquake affecting Chile since the magnitude 9.5 1960 Valdivia earthquake (the most energetic earthquake ever measured in the world), and it was the strongest earthquake worldwide since the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and until the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake. It is tied with the 1906 Ecuador–Colombia and 1833 Sumatra earthquakes as the sixth strongest earthquake ever measured, approximately 500 times more powerful than the 7.0 M earthquake in Haiti one month prior in January 2010.
5 August 2018 Lombok earthquake
As the earthquake occurred at a relatively shallow depth and a 7 magnitude, the earthquake caused severe shaking in the island of Lombok and strong shaking in the neighboring islands. Indonesian officials released maps of the perceived shaking. The largest city in Lombok and the provincial capital, Mataram, recorded a maximum intensity of VIII (Severe). The strongest shaking felt in the island of Bali was in Karangasem Regency with an intensity of VI (strong) while, on the island of Sumbawa, the strongest shaking was felt in Bima with a recorded maximum intensity of VI (strong).
2017 Pohang earthquake
The 2017 Pohang earthquake, measuring magnitude 5.4 on the moment magnitude scale, struck Heunghae, Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea on November 15 2017. It is tied with the 2016 Gyeongju earthquake as the country's strongest earthquake in modern history.
List of earthquakes in 2006
Earthquakes in 2006 resulted in about 6,602 fatalities. The 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake was the deadliest with 5,749 fatalities. The 2006 Kuril Islands earthquake was the largest in 2006 at 8.3 on the moment magnitude scale. The 2006 Pangandaran earthquake and tsunami caused a significant tsunami that killed 730 people. Other significant earthquakes in 2006 struck Iran, Taiwan, China, Argentina, and Tajikistan.
Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego
In 1949 an earthquake occurred in the Chilean portion, near the Argentine border. Recorded as 7.8 on the moment magnitude scale, it was the most powerful ever recorded in the south of Argentina.
Prague, Oklahoma
On November 5, 2011 a series of earthquakes struck near Prague, the first one a magnitude 4.7 at 2:15 AM CST, followed by a series of aftershocks, and then a second quake of magnitude 5.7 at 10:53 PM CST, the strongest recorded in Oklahoma history until a 5.8-magnitude earthquake occurred on September 3, 2016. This continued on November 7, 2011 when another 4.7 hit at 8:45 PM, just five miles northwest of Prague.
Impact of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on the video game industry
Estimates of the Tōhoku earthquake's magnitude make it the most powerful known earthquake to hit Japan, and one of the five most powerful earthquakes in the world overall since modern record-keeping began in 1900. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said that the crisis was the country's "toughest and most difficult" since World War II. The earthquake moved Honshu east and shifted the Earth on its axis by almost . Early estimates placed insured losses from the earthquake alone at US$14.5 to $34.6 billion. The Bank of Japan offered ¥15 trillion (US$183 billion) to the banking system on 14 March 2011 in an effort to normalize market conditions.
2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi earthquake
The earthquake was the first to have ever reached a maximum level of 7 on the Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale, or "Shindo scale", in Hokkaido and the sixth in Japan since the system was put in place in 1949.
There were 41 confirmed deaths resulting from the earthquake. 691 people were reported to be injured, 17 of which were reported to be serious cases. Thirty-six of the deaths were in Atsuma. The region was inundated by Typhoon Jebi, the strongest typhoon to hit Japan in a quarter of a century, the day before the earthquake struck. The earthquake triggered landslides in the wet soil the typhoon left behind which killed multiple people.
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
Since 1900, the only earthquakes recorded with a greater magnitude were the 1960 Great Chilean earthquake (Magnitude 9.5) and the 1964 Good Friday earthquake in Prince William Sound (Magnitude 9.2). The only other recorded earthquakes of magnitude 9.0 or greater were off Kamchatka, Russia, on 4 November 1952 (magnitude 9.0) and Tōhoku, Japan (magnitude 9.1) in March 2011. Each of these megathrust earthquakes also spawned tsunamis in the Pacific Ocean. However, in comparison to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, the death toll from these earthquakes was significantly lower, primarily because of the lower population density along the coasts near affected areas, the much greater distances to more populated coasts, and the superior infrastructure and warning systems in MEDCs (More Economically Developed Countries) such as Japan.
1891 Mino–Owari earthquake
The struck the former Japanese provinces of Mino and Owari (present-day Aichi Prefecture) in the Nōbi Plain in the early morning of October 28 with a surface wave magnitude of 8.0. The event, also referred to as the or the , is the strongest known inland earthquake to have occurred in the Japanese archipelago.
Yellowstone Caldera
In December 2008, continuing into January 2009, more than 500 quakes were detected under the northwest end of Yellowstone Lake over a seven-day span, with the largest registering a magnitude of 3.9. Another swarm started in January 2010, after the Haiti earthquake and before the Chile earthquake. With 1,620 small earthquakes between January 17, 2010, and February 1, 2010, this swarm was the second-largest ever recorded in the Yellowstone Caldera. The largest of these shocks was a magnitude 3.8 that occurred on January 21, 2010. This swarm reached the background levels by February 21. On March 30, 2014, at 6:34 AM MST, a magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck Yellowstone, the largest recorded there since February 1980. In February 2018, more than 300 earthquakes occurred, with the largest being a magnitude 2.9.
1940 El Centro earthquake
The 1940 El Centro earthquake (or 1940 Imperial Valley earthquake) occurred at 21:35 Pacific Standard Time on May 18 (05:35 UTC on May 19) in the Imperial Valley in southeastern Southern California near the international border of the United States and Mexico. It had a moment magnitude of 6.9 and a maximum perceived intensity of X ("Extreme") on the Mercalli intensity scale. It was the first major earthquake to be recorded by a strong-motion seismograph located next to a fault rupture. The earthquake was characterized as a typical moderate-sized destructive event with a complex energy release signature. It was the strongest recorded earthquake to hit the Imperial Valley, and caused widespread damage to irrigation systems and led to the deaths of nine people.
2016 Kaikoura earthquake
The 2016 Kaikoura earthquake was a magnitude 7.8 (M) earthquake in the South Island of New Zealand that occurred two minutes after midnight on 14 November 2016 NZDT (11:02 on 13 November UTC). Ruptures occurred on multiple faults and the earthquake has been described as the "most complex earthquake ever studied".
Juchitán de Zaragoza
Shortly before midnight on 7 September, the 2017 Chiapas earthquake struck off the coast of Chiapas, registered at either 8.1. or 8.2. The historic earthquake was said to have been the strongest in Mexico in a century.
1867 Manhattan, Kansas earthquake
The 1867 Manhattan earthquake struck Riley County, Kansas, in the United States on April 24, 1867 at 20:22 UTC, or about . The strongest earthquake to originate in the state, it measured 5.1 on a seismic scale that is based on an isoseismal map or the event's felt area. The earthquake's epicenter was near the town of Manhattan.
1916 Irondale earthquake
The 1916 Irondale earthquake struck in the north–central region of the U.S. state of Alabama on October 18. The strongest earthquake in state history, it registered an estimated Richter scale magnitude of 5.1 and resulted in extensive, but minor damage. This damage, limited to Shelby and Jefferson counties, reached its maximum severity near the epicenter in the city of Irondale, including cracked windows, fallen chimneys, and dried-up wells. While there were no fatalities, the earthquake spawned widespread panic, sending alarmed workers from tall buildings.
Oni, Georgia
In recent decades Oni has suffered from earthquakes and a series of avalanches. A particularly severe earthquake occurred on 29 April 1991. The earthquake measured 7.0 on the moment magnitude scale with a maximum MSK intensity of IX ("Destructive"), the most powerful ever recorded in the Caucasus Mountains, and caused significant damage to the infrastructure of Oni.
List of earthquakes in 1944
This is a list of earthquakes in 1944. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. Activity was spread across the world during this year. The southwest Pacific Islands saw a good proportion of the earthquakes. Japan had the largest event of the year in December. Argentina and Turkey had the bulk of the deaths. The quake in Argentina in January was the worst in the country's history. New York State had its largest recorded earthquake in September causing some damage.
Valdivia
On May 22, 1960, Chile suffered the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, rating 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale, with Valdivia being the most affected city. The earthquake generated devastating tsunamis that affected Japan and Hawaii. Spanish-colonial forts around Valdivia were severely damaged, while soil subsidence destroyed buildings, deepened local rivers, and created wetlands of the Río Cruces y Chorocomayo – a new aquatic park north of the city.
1556 Shaanxi earthquake
The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake or Huaxian earthquake () or Jiajing earthquake () was a catastrophic earthquake and is also the deadliest earthquake on record, killing approximately 830,000 people.
June 2011 Christchurch earthquake
New Zealand has a long history of earthquakes. Since the European settlement, the largest on record was a magnitude 8.2 M major earthquake that occurred on 23 January 1855 near the Wairarapa plains of the North Island. Another destructive magnitude 7.8 M earthquake struck the region near Hawke's Bay on 3 February 1931; it is the deadliest earthquake recorded on the island to date, greatly affecting much of Napier and Hastings.
2014 Mae Lao earthquake
The earthquake was a recorded as having a maximum intensity of strong (MMI VI), shaking both northern Thailand and Myanmar in the evening. People in many northern provinces (including Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, and Lampang) sensed the quake. Windows, walls and roads as well as temples all suffered damage from the quake. Originally no casualties were reported, but later there were news reports of one death and several injuries. It was the strongest earthquake ever recorded in Thailand according to National Disaster Warning Center Director Somsak Khaosuwan.
2002 Denali earthquake
The 2002 Denali earthquake occurred at 22:12:41 UTC (1:12 PM Local Time) November 3 with an epicenter 66 km ESE of Denali National Park, Alaska, United States. This 7.9 M earthquake was the largest recorded in the United States in 37 years (after the 1965 Rat Islands earthquake). The shock was the strongest ever recorded in the interior of Alaska. Due to the remote location, there were no fatalities and only a few injuries.
List of earthquakes in 2010
Earthquakes in 2010 resulted in nearly 321,000 fatalities. Most of these were due to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, which caused an estimated 160,000 deaths, making it the 11th deadliest earthquake in recorded history. Other deadly quakes occurred in China, Indonesia or Turkey. The 2010 Chile earthquake registered 8.8 on the moment magnitude scale, ranking it as the 6th strongest earthquake since 1900. The tsunami associated with the Chile earthquake caused tsunami advisories and warning across the entire Ocean rim, also known as the Ring of Fire.
Pico Island
Pico, much like the other islands, is susceptible to seismic events, although their epicenters have primarily been localized in the Faial-Pico or Pico-São Jorge Channels. The strongest earthquake registered in the last 30 years occurred on July 9, 1998, and had its epicenter 5 kilometers northeast of Ponta da Ribeirinha, on the island of Faial, reaching a 5.8 magnitude. It was felt on Pico, with a maximum intensity level of VII on the Mercalli scale; some homes were damaged and possessions were buffeted. Other violent earthquakes which have affected the island include: the 1957-58 seismic events associated with the eruption of the Capelinhos volcano (on Faial), the February 1964 earthquake on the island of São Jorge, and the 1926 earthquake, whose epicenter was registered in the Faial-Pico Channel.
List of earthquakes in 1931
This is a list of earthquakes in 1931. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused deaths, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. In a stark contrast to 1930, many large and destructive earthquakes occurred during 1931. The largest and deadliest event was the magnitude 7.9 earthquake which caused major devastation to China in August. New Zealand saw its worst natural disaster in February. Iran and Nicaragua had many deaths from earthquakes in the first half of the year. Other interesting events happened in Texas and the United Kingdom with the largest quakes for these areas hitting this year.
2010 Kaohsiung earthquake
The 2010 Kaohsiung earthquake, measuring 6.3 , occurred on March 4 at 8:20 a.m. local time. The epicenter was located in the mountainous area of Kaohsiung County (now part of Kaohsiung City) of the southwestern Taiwan. It was the most powerful earthquake in Kaohsiung since 1900. The earthquake did not cause any deaths, but 96 people were injured.
List of earthquakes in 1934
This is a list of earthquakes in 1934. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. The largest and deadliest event was the great earthquake which struck Nepal in January. In that magnitude 8.0 quake, 10,600 lives were lost. Other parts of the world saw much activity with the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea seeing much instability. Apart from the devastating Nepal earthquake, no other event caused more than 10 deaths which is unusual for any year.
2003 Boumerdès earthquake
The 2003 Boumerdès earthquake occurred on May 21 at in northern Algeria. The shock had a moment magnitude of 6.8 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X ("Extreme"). The epicentre of the earthquake was located near the town of Thénia in Boumerdès Province, approximately 60 km east of the capital Algiers. The quake was the strongest to hit Algeria in more than twenty years – since 1980, when a magnitude 7.1 earthquake resulted in at least 2,633 deaths.
1886 Charleston earthquake
The 1886 Charleston earthquake occurred about 9:50 p.m. local time August 31 with an estimated moment magnitude of 6.9–7.3 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X ("Extreme"). The intraplate earthquake caused 60 deaths and between $5 million and $6 million in damage to 2,000 buildings in the Southeastern United States. It is one of the most powerful and damaging earthquakes to hit the East Coast of the United States. Very little to no historical earthquake activity had occurred, which is unusual for any seismic area.
List of earthquakes in 2016
This is a list of earthquakes in 2016. Only earthquakes of magnitude 6 or above are included, unless they result in damage and/or casualties, or are notable for some other reason. All dates are listed according to UTC time. Maximum intensities are indicated on the Mercalli intensity scale and are sourced from United States Geological Survey (USGS) ShakeMap data. Major events took place in Ecuador, Italy, Taiwan, Indonesia and New Zealand this year, while the strongest tremor was observed in Papua New Guinea. For the first time since 2008, no quake had a magnitude of 8 or higher.
Anna, Ohio
On March 9, 1937, the largest recorded earthquake in Ohio occurred where the high school and middle school now stand. It was measured at 5.4 on the Richter magnitude scale, while damage was at intensity VIII according to the Mercalli intensity scale. The shock was felt as far away as Chicago, Illinois, and Toronto, Ontario. The shaking followed a similar but somewhat weaker event that had happened a week earlier, on March 2. The Lutheran and Methodist Churches were heavily damaged; the Lutheran Church subsequently put metal braces in its attic to protect it from future earthquakes. The partially damaged school became a total loss for the town and had to be rebuilt. The town hall was so badly damaged that the upper story was condemned and has not been used since.
Geography of Washington, D.C.
The District felt the 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes, and according to old records, residents were "badly frightened". In March 1828, President John Quincy Adams felt a "violent" earthquake in the White House and wrote it in his journal. The 1886 Charleston earthquake (magnitude 6.6 to 7.3) was felt in DC. The strongest earthquake in Virginia happened in 1897 and was felt in the District. An earthquake in 1925 in Canada, estimated about magnitude 7, was felt over an area of 2 million square miles. Another 6.2 earthquake in 1935 caused damage in New York and shook residents from Maine to Wisconsin.
List of earthquakes in 1950
This is a list of earthquakes in 1950. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. The main event which dominated the year in terms of magnitude and deaths was the earthquake which struck India in August. With a magnitude of 8.6, it was one of the largest earthquakes of all time, and affected the eastern part of the country. There were 1,530 deaths, which was around three quarters of the yearly total. A number of other deadly events struck Colombia, Venezuela and Peru. There were 21 magnitude 7.0+ quakes. Aside from India, Chile was hit by a magnitude 8.2 event in December that left one person dead. Aftershock sequences contributed to a large number of magnitude 6.0–6.9 events, especially in India and Vanuatu (which also saw four magnitude 7.0+ quakes). Monthly summaries are included for the first time due to a rise in events being recorded and will continue to be featured every year from now.
Japan Trench
On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurred on the subduction interface boundary of the Pacific Plate sinking underneath Japan along the Japan Trench. A rupture within the central region of the trench spanning an area of about 450 km long and 150 km wide resulted here. It is considered as the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan as well as one of the four most powerful earthquakes ever recorded since the start of modern record-keeping in 1900. This megathrust earthquake caused giant tsunami waves to form which eventually caused destruction to the coastline of northern Japan. The damage left about 16,000 people killed along with a catastrophic level 7 nuclear meltdown of three nuclear reactors located at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant complex. The World's Bank recorded the total cost of damage to be about US$235 billion, making it the costliest natural disaster in history.
2002 Mindanao earthquake
The 2002 Mindanao earthquake struck the Philippines at 05:16 Philippine Standard Time on March 6 (21:16 Coordinated Universal Time on March 5). The world's sixth most powerful earthquake of the year, it registered a magnitude of 7.5 and was a megathrust earthquake. It originated near the Cotabato Trench, a zone of deformation situated between the Philippine Sea Plate and the Sunda Plate, and occurred very near to the Philippines' strongest earthquake for the 20th century, the 1918 Celebes Sea earthquake.
Earthquakes in Western Australia
Western Australia's largest recorded earthquake to date was at Meeberrie station, north of Mullewa, in April 1941. See the separate section below.
The Cadoux earthquake of 1979 with magnitude 6.1 caused surface rupturing, about 15 km long.
Geography of Andorra
The Pyrenees and Catalonia have frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes — the largest in recorded history being the Catalan earthquake of 1428 with an estimated magnitude of IX on the MSK scale, equivalent to 6.0–6.5 on the Richter magnitude scale. However, earthquakes whose epicentres are inside Andorra tend to be smaller than magnitude 2. An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 on 5 October 1999 in nearby Bagnères-de-Luchon (France) was widely felt in Andorra, causing public alarm. The Andorran Government has studied the possibility of a damaging earthquake in Andorra.
2007 Kent earthquake
It was the largest British earthquake since the 2002 Dudley earthquake and the strongest in the Dover Straits since a magnitude 4.4 earthquake in 1950. The strongest recorded British earthquake is the 1931 Dogger Bank earthquake, which measured 6.1 on the Richter scale.
2016 Gyeongju earthquake
The 2016 Gyeongju earthquake occurred on September 12 near Gyeongju, South Korea. Measuring 5.8 on the moment magnitude scale, it was the strongest earthquake in the country.
1971 San Fernando earthquake
In early 1971, the San Fernando Valley was the scene of a dense network of strong-motion seismometers, which provided a total of 241 seismograms. This made the earthquake the most documented event, at the time, in terms of strong-motion seismology; by comparison, the 1964 Alaska earthquake did not provide any strong motion records. Part of the reason there were so many stations to capture the event was a 1965 ordinance that required newly constructed buildings in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles over six stories in height to be outfitted with three of the instruments. This stipulation ultimately found its way into the Uniform Building Code as an appendix several years later. One hundred seventy-five of the recordings came from these buildings, another 30 were on hydraulic structures, and the remainder were from ground-based installations near faults, including an array of the units across the San Andreas Fault.
Heisei period
On 11 March 2011, Japan suffered the strongest recorded earthquake in its history, affecting places in the northeast of Honshū, including the Tokyo area. The quake's magnitude of 9.0 approached that of the severe 2004 megathrust earthquake. A tsunami with waves of up to 10 meters (32.5 feet) flooded inland areas several kilometers from shore, causing a large number of considerable fires. The epicenter of the quake lay so close to coastal villages and towns that thousands could not flee in time, despite a tsunami warning system. At the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and three other nuclear power plants,serious problems occurred with the cooling systems, ultimately leading to the most serious case of radioactive contamination since the Chernobyl disaster (see Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster), as well as ongoing electric power shortages. Following the earthquake, for the first time, the Emperor addressed the nation in a pre-recorded television broadcast.
1797 Riobamba earthquake
The 1797 Riobamba earthquake occurred at 12:30 UTC on 4 February. It devastated the city of Riobamba and many other cities in the Interandean valley, causing between 6,000–40,000 casualties. It is estimated that seismic intensities in the epicentral area reached at least XI ("Extreme") on the Mercalli intensity scale, and that the earthquake had a magnitude of 8.3, the most powerful historical event known in Ecuador. The earthquake was studied by Alexander von Humboldt, when he visited the area in 1801–1802.
856 Damghan earthquake
The 856 Damghan earthquake or the 856 Qumis earthquake occurred on 22 December 856 (242 AH). The earthquake had an estimated magnitude of 7.9, and a maximum intensity of X ("Extreme") on the Mercalli intensity scale. The meizoseismal area (area of maximum damage) extended for about along the southern edge of the eastern Alborz mountains of present-day Iran including parts of Tabaristan and Gorgan. The earthquake's epicenter is estimated to be close to the city of Damghan, which was then the capital of the Persian province of Qumis. It caused approximately 200,000 deaths and is listed by the USGS as the sixth deadliest earthquake in recorded history.
Peldon
The strongest earthquake to ever strike the UK occurred on the 22nd April 1884. It measured to a 5.1 magnitude on the Richter scale and rendered much of the area around and including Peldon badly damaged. In total, it damaged around 1250 buildings including churches, houses and cottages. It was reported at the time that every single building in Peldon was damaged in some way, including the local church, causing heavy financial ramifications for the local area. The Peldon Rose, the village's 15th century inn, rumoured to have been connected by a smugglers tunnel to nearby Ray Island still exhibits earthquake damage. In 1984 a village festival was held at Kemps Farm, Peldon, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the earthquake.
Osmussaar earthquake
The Osmussaar earthquake occurred on 25 October 1976 near the north tip of Osmussaar, an island close to the coast of Estonia. Its hypocenter was below ground level, and it was measured at 4.7 on the Richter magnitude scale. The earthquake was the most powerful recorded in Estonia; it caused rockfall along the north and northeastern coasts, and some houses took structural damage. The earthquake was largely felt in surrounding areas like north Estonia, south Finland and Sweden. Aftershocks also took place in November.
List of earthquakes in 1941
This is a list of earthquakes in 1941. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. With 1,200 lives lost, Saudi Arabia experienced the heaviest death toll on January 11. Other deadly quakes occurred in Iran, Turkey, Taiwan, Burma, and China. There were 15 magnitude 7.0+ events altogether. The largest event was in the north Atlantic Ocean at the Azores–Gibraltar Transform Fault in November with a magnitude 8.0. Other large events struck India, Japan, and Mexico to name a few. Australia saw a couple of unusually large quakes this year.
1962 FIFA World Cup
The Valdivia earthquake, the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, occurred on 22 May 1960. With over 50,000 casualties and more than 2 million people affected, the earthquake forced the organising committee to completely modify the World Cup's calendar. Talca, Concepción, Talcahuano and Valdivia were severely damaged and discarded as venues. Antofagasta and Valparaíso declined to host any matches as their venues were not financially self-sustainable. Viña del Mar and Arica managed to rebuild their stadiums while Braden Copper Company, then an American company that controlled the El Teniente copper mine, allowed the use of its stadium in Rancagua. The most used stadium was the Estadio Nacional in Santiago, with 10 matches; the Estadio Sausalito in Viña del Mar hosted 8 matches, and the stadiums in Rancagua and far-away Arica (the only location that was not close to the other cities) both hosted 7 matches.
2011 Christchurch earthquake
While both the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes occurred on "blind" or unknown faults, New Zealand's Earthquake Commission had, in a 1991 report, predicted moderate earthquakes in Canterbury with the likelihood of associated liquefaction.The intensity felt in Christchurch was MM VIII. The peak ground acceleration (PGA) in central Christchurch exceeded 1.8"g" (i.e. 1.8 times the acceleration of gravity), with the highest recording 2.2"g", at Heathcote Valley Primary School, a shaking intensity equivalent to MM X+. This is the highest PGA ever recorded in New Zealand; the highest reading during the September 2010 event was 1.26"g", recorded near Darfield. The PGA is also one of the greatest-ever ground accelerations recorded in the world, and was unusually high for a 6.3 quake. and the highest in a vertical direction. The central business district (CBD) experienced PGAs in the range of 0.574 and 0.802 "g". In contrast, the 7.0 M 2010 Haiti earthquake had an estimated PGA of 0.5"g". The acceleration occurred mainly in a vertical direction, with eyewitness accounts of people being tossed into the air.
Port Wakefield, Alaska
Port Wakefield suffered badly in the 1964 Alaska earthquake and tsunami, when Raspberry Island subsided by as much as six feet. This was the most powerful recorded earthquake in North American history, and the third most powerful ever measured by seismograph; with a moment magnitude of 9.2 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI ("Extreme"). The town was not destroyed, but the cannery and community were no longer viable. The land was eventually purchased and is now used for tourism, as wilderness lodges.
List of earthquakes in 1964
This is a list of earthquakes in 1964. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. Maximum intensities are indicated on the Mercalli intensity scale and are sourced from United States Geological Survey (USGS) ShakeMap data. Alaska had the largest event of the year both in terms of magnitude and death toll. In March a great magnitude 9.2 earthquake struck the southern part of the state. This was the largest earthquake in United States' history and currently ranks as 3rd largest globally. The quake and subsequent tsunami resulted in 139 deaths in total. In spite of such a large event there were only 11 other magnitude 7.0 + events which is below normal. Japan, Taiwan and Mexico had earthquakes which resulted in a number of deaths. Indonesia and Papua New Guinea experienced high activity this year with a cluster of magnitude 6.0 + events hitting throughout the year.
2018 Anchorage earthquake
Southern Alaska lies at the eastern end of the Aleutian Trench, where the Pacific Plate is subducting beneath the North American Plate. Near Anchorage, the plates are converging at a rate of 57 mm per year. The region has experienced severe earthquakes in the past, including several megathrust earthquakes. The 1964 earthquake, with a magnitude of 9.2, was the largest earthquake in American history and the second largest to ever be recorded anywhere in the world. Though earthquakes are common in Alaska, they often occur out at sea. This earthquake is more similar to the 2001 Nisqually earthquake located near Tacoma, Washington than to the 1964 megathrust earthquake.
1751 Concepción earthquake
The 1751 Concepción earthquake was one of the strongest and most destructive recorded quakes in Chilean history. It struck the Central Valley of the country, destroying the cities of Concepción, Chillán, Cauquenes, Curicó and Talca, probably on May 24, 1751, although there is currently a debate among scholars as to the exact date of the earthquake (see also "Other dates").
List of earthquakes in 1946
This is a list of earthquakes in 1946. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. Several great shocks affected the planet in 1946. The largest was one of the most significant in human terms. The quake itself was a magnitude 8.6 striking on April 1 in Alaska resulting in a tsunami mainly affecting Hawaii. The consequence of this apart from many deaths was the foundation of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. This organisation has helped to substantially reduce the death toll of tsunamis in the Pacific, although there have been a few exceptions, including the 2011 Japan event. Japan itself was heavily affected in 1946 by a large quake hitting in December, causing 1,362 deaths. The Dominican Republic was another nation that suffered great destruction in August. Turkey, Peru, and Turkmenistan all saw earthquakes causing many deaths. In general, 1946 was a busy year, with 21 events measuring above 7.0 and three exceeding a magnitude of 8.0.
1993 Klamath Falls earthquakes
The September 1993 earthquakes began striking at approximately 8:16 p.m. local time. The first major quake registered 5.9 on the moment magnitude scale with a foreshock registering 4.2 M about twelve minutes before. The second major shock was at 10:45 p.m. Over the next five months at least 300 more tremors were recorded. The strongest aftershock occurred on 4 December 1993, and measured 5.4M.
History of Valdivia
On May 22, 1960, south-central Chile suffered the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, rating 9.5 on the Moment magnitude scale, with Valdivia being the most affected city. The earthquake generated devastating tsunamis that affected Japan and Hawaii. Spanish-colonial forts around Valdivia were severely damaged, while soil subsidence destroyed buildings, deepened local rivers, and created wetlands of the Río Cruces y Chorocomayo - a new aquatic park north of the city.
List of earthquakes in Germany
On 18 February 1756, at about 8 am, one of the strongest earthquakes in Central Europe, the strongest reported in Germany to date, struck Düren. The hypocentre is judged to have been at 14–16 km. It followed the 1755 Lisbon earthquake by several months and was the culmination of a series of quakes in Germany that had lasted several years. Buildings were damaged in Cologne, Aachen, Jülich and Bad Münstereifel; shaking was felt in London, Magdeburg and Straßburg. Based on damage reports, the quake was assessed at VIII on the Mercalli intensity scale,BGR "Deutscher historischer Erdbebenkatalog ab dem Jahre 800", ZIP file downloadable from Erdbebenkatalog für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland mit Randgebieten (German). and is today thought to have been approximately 6.1 or 6.4 on the Richter scale. The earthquake caused two deaths and severe damage in Düren, two deaths and one serious injury in Cologne. Portions of the city walls collapsed in Düren and Bad Münstereifel. Some of the hot springs in Aachen ran dry, while others increased in strength. A spring at Breinigerberg ran dry. The water table fell in open tin and lead mines; some became dry.
Puyehue-Cordón Caulle
Two days after the main shock of the 1960 Valdivia earthquake, the largest earthquake recorded in history, Cordón Caulle erupted. The eruption was believed to have been caused by the earthquake. The earthquake had struck the whole of Chile between Talca (30°S) and Chiloé (43°S) and had an estimated moment magnitude of 9.5. Being located between two sparsely populated and by then isolated Andean valleys the eruption had few eyewitnesses and received little attention by local media due to the huge damages and losses caused by the main earthquake. The eruption was fed by a long and north west-west (N135°) trending fissure along which 21 individual vents have been found. These vents produced an output of about 0.25 km³ DRE both in form of lava flows and tephra.
Valentine, Texas
On August 16, 1931, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck near Valentine, causing extensive damage. The earthquake was the most powerful ever recorded in Texas.
List of earthquakes in 1960
This is a list of earthquakes in 1960. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. An eventful year in part helped by two significant events. Firstly, in February the deadliest event of the year struck Morocco with over 13,000 deaths. The magnitude of the earthquake was a fairly modest 5.8 but its proximity to Agadir attributed to the high death toll. Secondly, in May a series of large earthquakes rocked central Chile. Part of the sequence was the largest earthquake of all time on May 22. The event reached 9.5 in magnitude and helped spawn a destructive tsunami which affected the Pacific Rim. Aside from this 1960 was active for Peru which had 3 magnitude 7.0+ events. Japan had a magnitude 8.0 in March. Iran had a deadly event in April.
All events which are associated with the 1960 Valdivia earthquake will be listed here.
Fukuoka
Fukuoka is not as seismically active as many other parts of Japan, but does experience occasional earthquakes. The most powerful recent earthquake registered a lower 6 of maximum 7 of the Japanese intensity scale and hit at 10:53 am local time on March 20, 2005, killing one person and injuring more than 400. The epicentre of the earthquake was in the Genkai Sea along a yet-undiscovered extension of the Kego fault that runs through the centre of Fukuoka. Genkai island, a part of Nishi-ku, was the most severely damaged by the earthquake and almost all island residents were forced to evacuate. Aftershocks continued intermittently throughout the following weeks as construction crews worked to rebuild damaged buildings throughout the city. Traditional Japanese houses, particularly in the areas of Daimyo and Imaizumi, were the most heavily damaged and many were marked for demolition, along with several apartment buildings. Insurance payments for damages were estimated at approximately 15.8 billion yen.
1992 Cape Mendocino earthquakes
As the largest earthquake in California since the October 1989 event in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the mainshock near Petrolia produced some of the highest ground motions ever recorded (at that time) by the California Strong Motion Instrumentation Program (CSMIP). Fourteen existing CSMIP stations comprising 84 strong motion sensors recorded the event, ten of which were ground response stations. The remaining four were located on structures, including a Highway 101 overpass in Rio Dell, a dam, a one-story supermarket in Fortuna, and a 5-story residential building in Eureka. The supermarket, residential building, and dam were 28, 50, and 75 kilometers distant from the epicenter respectively, and recorded peak accelerations of .46"g", .34"g", and .15"g". An accelerograph at the Painter Street overpass (a concrete bridge, from the epicenter) recorded a free field acceleration of .55"g" and an instrument on the structure saw an amplified peak of 1.23"g" during the mainshock.
Injection well
A July 2013 study by US Geological Survey scientist William Ellsworth links earthquakes to wastewater injection sites. In the four years from 2010-2013 the number of earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater in the central and eastern United States increased dramatically. After decades of a steady earthquake rate (average of 21 events/year), activity increased starting in 2001 and peaked at 188 earthquakes in 2011, including a record-breaking 5.7-magnitude earthquake near Prague, Oklahoma which was the strongest earthquake ever recorded in Oklahoma. USGS scientists have found that at some locations the increase in seismicity coincides with the injection of wastewater in deep disposal wells. Injection-induced earthquakes are thought to be caused by pressure changes due to excess fluid injected deep below the surface and are being dubbed “man-made” earthquakes. On September 3, 2016, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake occurred near Pawnee, Oklahoma, followed by nine aftershocks between magnitudes 2.6 and 3.6 within three and one-half hours. The earthquake broke the previous record set five years earlier. Tremors were felt as far away as Memphis, Tennessee, and Gilbert, Arizona. Mary Fallin, the Oklahoma governor, declared a local emergency and shutdown orders for local disposal wells were ordered by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. Results of ongoing multi-year research on induced earthquakes by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) published in 2015 suggested that most of the significant earthquakes in Oklahoma, such as the 1952 magnitude 5.5 El Reno earthquake may have been induced by deep injection of waste water by the oil industry.
List of earthquakes in 1953
This is a list of earthquakes in 1953. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. This was a fairly active year. There were no great quakes above magnitude 8.0+ as experienced in previous years. Magnitude 7.0+ quakes numbered 12 in all. Japan led the way in magnitude terms. Other large quakes struck Chile, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Turkey. The quakes with the most human casualties were in Turkey, Iran and Greece with the vast majority of the death toll coming from these events.
1952 Severo-Kurilsk earthquake
The 1952 Severo-Kurilsk earthquake struck off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula. The 9.0 M earthquake triggered a major tsunami that hit Severo-Kurilsk, Kuril Islands, Sakhalin Oblast, Russian SFSR, USSR, on 5 November 1952 at about 5 a.m. This led to the destruction of many settlements in Sakhalin Oblast and Kamchatka Oblast, while the main impact struck the town of Severo-Kurilsk. It was the fifth most powerful earthquake on record, and to date, the most powerful earthquake in Russian history.
List of earthquakes in 2007
Earthquakes in 2007 resulted in about 712 fatalities. The 2007 Peru earthquake was the deadliest with 519 fatalities. The September 2007 Sumatra earthquake was the largest in 2007 with an 8.5 on the moment magnitude scale. The 2007 Solomon Islands earthquake caused a significant tsunami that killed 52 people. There were four 8.0 or higher earthquakes in 2007 which is the most ever recorded for a single year. Other significant earthquakes in 2007 struck Chile and Japan.
2009–19 Oklahoma earthquake swarms
Early on the morning of September 3, a 5.8-magnitude quake struck 9.3 miles (15 km) north of Pawnee, Oklahoma, breaking the record set by the 2011 earthquake near Prague, Oklahoma for the strongest quake in the state. Though the USGS originally stated that, like the Prague quake, its magnitude was 5.6, the USGS later upgraded the magnitude of the Pawnee quake to 5.8 while simultaneously retrospectively upgrading the Prague quake to 5.7. Just as with its predecessor in 2011, this quake also was reported to have been felt by people in other states; the USGS recorded reports of perceptible shaking as far north as Fargo, North Dakota and as far south as San Antonio, Texas. Multiple residential and commercial structures were damaged, and one person was injured in Pawnee when he was struck by falling bricks.
Pawnee, Oklahoma
A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck near Pawnee on September 3, 2016, causing cracks and minor damage to buildings. It was the strongest recorded earthquake in state history, exceeding the 5.7 magnitude 2011 earthquake near Prague, Oklahoma.
List of earthquakes in 1985
The second strongest earthquake, occurred in Santiago, Chile on March 3. It was measured by the United States Geological Survey as magnitude 8.0, although University of Chile Seismologic Service measured it as magnitude 8.0. At least 177 people were killed, and 2,575 injured by this earthquake. It caused extensive damage throughout central Chile. It was felt in both Copiapó and Valdivia. A tsunami was also generated, and hit Valparaíso, Hilo, Alaska, Tahiti and Japan. Another earthquake magnitude 7.5 hit the Pichilemu, O'Higgins Region area on April 8, causing two more deaths.
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
The 2004 earthquake and tsunami combined is the world's deadliest natural disaster since the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. The earthquake was the third most powerful earthquake recorded since 1900. The deadliest known earthquake in history occurred in 1556 in Shaanxi, China, with an estimated death toll of 830,000, though figures from this period may not be as reliable.
Earthquakes in Western Australia
The largest earthquake (magnitude 7.2 – 7.3) documented occurred in 1941, at Meeberrie, in the Murchison region. Like many earthquakes it remained little known, due to its lack of impact on urban areas. Because the Meckering earthquake of 1968 caused injuries to at least 17 people and extensive property damage, it was the best-known earthquake in Western Australia the late twentieth century.
1975 Morris earthquake
The 1975 Morris earthquake occurred in western Minnesota on July 9 at 14:54:15 UTC, or 9:54 a.m. The strongest instrumentally recorded rupture in the history of the state, it registered at magnitude 4.6 M and had a maximum Mercalli intensity of VI ("Strong"). It was the first earthquake to be recorded on any seismic instrument in the state since 1917. Tremors were felt over much of Minnesota, northern Iowa, and the eastern Dakotas.
List of earthquakes in 1952
This is a list of earthquakes in 1952. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. Two events dominated 1952 in seismic terms. Firstly in March a magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck Japan resulting in a robust aftershock sequence. Then in November, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake rocked the Kamchatka area of Russia. This event was the largest and deadliest of the year. The Kamchatka quake was not only the largest of 1952, but also one of the largest of all time.
1949 Olympia earthquake
The 1949 Olympia earthquake occurred on April 13 at with a moment magnitude of 6.7 and a maximum Mercalli Intensity of VIII ("Severe"). The shock was located in the area between Olympia and Tacoma, and was felt throughout the state, as well as parts of Oregon, British Columbia, Idaho, and Montana. It is the largest recorded earthquake to occur in the Puget Sound region of Washington. Eight people were killed, a minimum of 64 people were injured, and the total damage is estimated at $25 million.
2009–19 Oklahoma earthquake swarms
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake had occurred near El Reno on April 9, 1952 at 10:29 a.m. CST (16:29 UTC). At the time, it was the strongest earthquake ever recorded in Oklahoma. Most of Oklahoma was affected, as were parts of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Texas. Damage was not extensive, but local residents were alarmed, and several thousands of dollars in damage occurred. Chimneys were toppled, walls were cracked, windows were broken, and bricks were loosened from buildings. In Oklahoma City, a crack measuring was found in the State Capitol following the earthquake. The earthquake, which occurred along the Nemaha Fault, had a maximum intensity of VII near the epicenter.
Greendale, New Zealand
On 4 September 2010, Greendale became further notable as the location of the strongest earthquake ground-shaking ever recorded in New Zealand, registering an acceleration 1.25 times that of gravity. This was later exceeded by the 2.2 g recordings during the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake at Heathcote Valley.
Wellington
Wellington suffered serious damage in a series of earthquakes in 1848 and from another earthquake in 1855. The 1855 Wairarapa earthquake occurred on the Wairarapa Fault to the north and east of Wellington. It was probably the most powerful earthquake in recorded New Zealand history, with an estimated magnitude of at least 8.2 on the Moment magnitude scale. It caused vertical movements of two to three metres over a large area, including raising land out of the harbour and turning it into a tidal swamp. Much of this land was subsequently reclaimed and is now part of the central business district. For this reason, the street named Lambton Quay is 100 to 200 metres (325 to 650 ft) from the harbour – plaques set into the footpath mark the shoreline in 1840, indicating the extent of reclamation. The 1942 Wairarapa earthquakes caused considerable damage in Wellington.
2017 Valparaiso earthquake
Before this seismic event there was an unusual increase in seismic activity (seismic swarm) that began on Saturday, April 22 and before the event of magnitude 6.9 more than 180 earthquakes (precursor earthquakes) had been recorded, being one of the most strong that of magnitude 6.0 of the dawn of the April 22, 2017.
List of earthquakes in 1974
This is a list of earthquakes in 1974. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. Maximum intensities are indicated on the Mercalli intensity scale and are sourced from United States Geological Survey (USGS) ShakeMap data. Activity was once again below average with 11 events reaching magnitude 7+. The largest came in October in Peru when a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Lima. Other magnitude 7.0+ events shook the Caribbean, China and the southwest Pacific Islands. Two events dominated the 25,000 deaths during 1974. China was struck by a magnitude 6.8 event in May with upwards of 20,000 deaths. At the end of the year, Pakistan was struck by a modest 6.2 magnitude earthquake causing 5,300 deaths. Gabon in central Africa was hit by a rare earthquake in September.
1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake
The 1959 quake was the strongest and deadliest earthquake to hit Montana, the second being the 1935–36 Helena earthquakes that left 4 people dead. It also caused the worst landslides in the Northwestern United States since 1927.
2011 Oklahoma earthquake
The 2011 Oklahoma earthquake was a 5.7 magnitude intraplate earthquake which occurred near Prague, Oklahoma on November 5 at 10:53 p.m. CDT (03:53 UTC November 6) in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The epicenter of the earthquake was in the vicinity of several active wastewater injection wells. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), it was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Oklahoma; this record was surpassed by the 2016 Oklahoma earthquake. The previous record was a 5.5 magnitude earthquake that struck near the town of El Reno in 1952. The quake's epicenter was approximately east-northeast of Oklahoma City, near the town of Sparks and was felt in the neighboring states of Texas, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri and even as far away as Tennessee and Wisconsin. The quake followed several minor quakes earlier in the day, including a 4.7 magnitude foreshock. The quake had a maximum perceived intensity of VIII ("Severe") on the Mercalli intensity scale in the area closest to the epicenter. Numerous aftershocks were detected after the main quake, with a few registering at 4.0 magnitude.
Idrija Fault
Present displacement is measured and varies along strike but is in the order of magnitude of 0.1 mm per year. The strongest earthquake along the Idrija Fault was the 1511 Western Slovenia earthquake (or 1511 Idrija earthquake), which took place on 26 March 1511, had a magnitude of 6.8, and caused about 12,000 deaths.
Emergency management in American universities
On November 5, 2011 Oklahoma was hit by a 5.6 magnitude intraplate earthquake. The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that it was the most powerful earthquake to ever hit Oklahoma. The earthquake caused damage ranging from residential structural damage to buckled highways. There was also damage to local St. Gregory's University in Shawnee. Benedictine Hall, which is the central feature at the university and houses their administration offices, library, and most of their classes, was damaged by the disaster. Prior to the earthquake the historic building, which opened in 1915, had 4 turrets, however the shaking caused one to collapse completely and severely damaged the other 3. The damage to the building caused the university to close the Monday after the earthquake due to safety precautions. According to university officials, at the time they were unsure of where they would hold classes since the building would have to be closed until repairs could be made. The restoration of the building, which is equivalent to a 10-story building, would require a large crane for repairs. The 2011 Oklahoma earthquake provided an example of how an earthquake can affect a university campus and disrupt daily operations with no notice. Other universities are now able to use this event as an example when preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the unpredictable effects of natural disasters.
2009–19 Oklahoma earthquake swarms
On December 7, 2013, an earthquake occurred within the city limits of Oklahoma City in an area south of Lake Arcadia with a magnitude of 4.5 M. This was the strongest earthquake to occur in Oklahoma since the November 5, 2011 earthquake near the Prague–Sparks area east of Oklahoma City. For 2013, an estimated 109 earthquakes occurred according to the Oklahoma Geological Survey, a number substantially higher than in any previous year going back to 1978.
2003 Alabama earthquake
The 2003 Alabama earthquake took place on April 29 at 3:59 A.M. Central Daylight Time (local time when the event occurred) eight miles (13 km) east-northeast of Fort Payne, Alabama. The number of people who felt this quake was exceptionally high as the earthquake could be felt in 11 states across the East Coast and as far north as southern Indiana. The earthquake was strongly felt throughout metropolitan Atlanta. The Georgia Building Authority was called out to inspect the historic Georgia State Capitol in downtown Atlanta and other state-owned buildings, but found no problems. However, this is not out of the ordinary as earthquakes east of the Rocky Mountains can be felt several times the area felt on West Coast earthquakes. The earthquake was given a magnitude 4.6 on the moment magnitude scale by the USGS (other sources reported as high a magnitude as 4.9) and reports of the duration of the shaking range from 10 seconds to as long as 45 seconds. It is tied with a 1973 earthquake near Knoxville, Tennessee as the strongest earthquake ever to occur in the Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone, which is the second most active seismic zone east of the Rocky Mountains, with the New Madrid Seismic Zone the most active.
List of earthquakes in 1948
This is a list of earthquakes in 1948. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. This would go down as one of the deadliest years of the 20th century. The main factor behind this was the earthquake which struck Turkmenistan that left 110,000 people dead in early October. This was the deadliest single earthquake since 1923 when a great quake struck Tokyo. Other events during the year caused many deaths including one in Japan in June which resulted in over 5,000 deaths. The number of magnitude 7.0+ events (18) was around normal with the biggest event being in the Philippines measuring 7.8. Clusters of large events were reported in Latin America and the southwest Pacific particularly Fiji in the early part of the year.
2008 Illinois earthquake
The 2008 Illinois earthquake was one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded in the Midwest state of Illinois. This moderate strike-slip shock measured 5.2 on the moment magnitude scale and had a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII ("Very strong"). It occurred at on April 18 near West Salem and Mount Carmel, Illinois within the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone. Earthquakes in this part of the country are often felt at great distances.
1993 Klamath Falls earthquakes
The tremors during the September 1993 Klamath Falls earthquakes were some of the strongest felt in Oregon's history over the past 50 years. The first shock was only 4.2 M. The two major quakes, which measured 5.9 and 6.0, were, up to that point in Oregon's history, the strongest recorded earthquakes and resulted in the most damage.
Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego
This was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in the south of Argentina. It was felt with grade VIII in the Mercalli intensity scale, and affected the settlements and some others like Punta Arenas and Río Gallegos. Due to low population density, damage was limited.
Moodus, Connecticut
The area is subject to earthquakes, with an intensity VI quake occurring in 1568, and numerous quakes being recorded from 1638 onwards. The largest earthquake recorded for Connecticut was an intensity VII quake on May 16, 1791 near Moodus.
2006 Greece earthquake
Nevertheless, despite the magnitude and the duration of the tremor (buildings in Athens swayed for almost 40 seconds) no other significant injury or damage was reported in the country's strongest earthquake in decades. This was mainly because the quake had a focal depth of approximately . The tremor was felt as far away as in Bari on the Adriatic Sea, Naples and much of southern Italy, Malta, Cairo and even along the Lebanese, Syrian and Israeli shorelines. No tsunami was associated with this event.Sources
List of earthquakes in 2011
This is a list of earthquakes in 2011. Only earthquakes of magnitude 6 or above are included, unless they result in damage and/or casualties, or are notable for some other reason. All dates are listed according to UTC time. The 9.1 Tōhoku earthquake was the fourth most powerful ever recorded and triggered a massive tsunami (around 20,000 deaths). In a very busy year, many quakes caused damage in Turkey, New Zealand, Myanmar, India, or Spain.
Wairarapa
On 23 January 1855 the region was hit by the strongest earthquake recorded in New Zealand, which reached Magnitude 8.2 on the Richter Scale. There were five deaths.
2016 Oklahoma earthquake
The earthquake was the largest ever recorded in the state, substantially exceeding a 5.1 magnitude earthquake which struck near Fairview in February 2016 and slightly more powerful than the 5.7 magnitude 2011 Oklahoma earthquake in Prague, Oklahoma. It occurred amid a significant increase in induced earthquakes in the central and eastern United States over the seven preceding years. Oklahoma in particular saw earthquake rates increase by over two hundred times between 2009 and 2016, from a background average of one to three a year, between 1975 and 2008. It experienced 585 quakes of magnitude 3 and larger, in 2014, compared with only 100 in 2013. This was over three times the number experienced by seismically active California in 2014.
1880 Luzon earthquakes
The earthquakes of July 1880 in Luzon, the largest island of the Philippines, was one of the most destructive tremors on record in the history of the country. The shocks continued, with greater or less interruption, from the 14th to the 25th of the month, highlighted by three violent shaking events, which destroyed churches and other buildings, producing loss of life. Coinciding with the tectonic activity was an increased in volcanic activity in Taal Volcano in southwestern Luzon.
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
It was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan, and the fourth most powerful earthquake in the world since modern record-keeping began in 1900.
The earthquake triggered powerful tsunami waves that may have reached heights of up to in Miyako in Tōhoku's Iwate Prefecture, and which, in the Sendai area, traveled up to inland.
2002 Molise earthquake
During the night of 30–31 October there had already been three minor earthquakes, with the strongest at 3.27 (a magnitude of 3.5 on the Richter Scale, IV–V on the Mercalli intensity scale). The strongest tremor took place at 11.32 on Thursday 31 October 2002 in the area of lower Molise, which is situated in the north-east of the Province of Campobasso. It reached from the Frentani Mountains to the Fortore valley. It lasted for 60 seconds and could be felt distinctly in the centre of Molise, in the Capitanata, the Province of Chieti, and could be perceived in the Marche, Bari, Benevento, Matera, Brindisi, Rome, Naples, Potenza, Salerno, Taranto and Pescara.
1783 New Jersey earthquake
The 1783 New Jersey earthquake occurred on November 29 in the Province of New Jersey. It measured 5.3 on a seismic scale that is based on an isoseismal map or the event's felt area. It stands as the most powerful earthquake to occur in the state.
1931 Dogger Bank earthquake
The Dogger Bank earthquake of 1931 was the strongest earthquake recorded in the United Kingdom since measurements began. It had a magnitude of 6.1 on the Richter magnitude scale, and it caused a shaking intensity of VI ("strong") to VII ("very strong") on the Mercalli intensity scale. The location of the earthquake in the North Sea meant that damage was significantly less than it would have been had the epicentre been on the British mainland.
1964 Alaska earthquake
Lasting four minutes and thirty-eight seconds, the magnitude 9.2 megathrust earthquake remains the most powerful earthquake recorded in North American history, and the second most powerful earthquake recorded in world history. of fault ruptured at once and moved up to , releasing about 500 years of stress buildup. Soil liquefaction, fissures, landslides, and other ground failures caused major structural damage in several communities and much damage to property. Anchorage sustained great destruction or damage to many inadequately earthquake-engineered houses, buildings, and infrastructure (paved streets, sidewalks, water and sewer mains, electrical systems, and other man-made equipment), particularly in the several landslide zones along Knik Arm. southwest, some areas near Kodiak were permanently raised by . Southeast of Anchorage, areas around the head of Turnagain Arm near Girdwood and Portage dropped as much as , requiring reconstruction and fill to raise the Seward Highway above the new high tide mark.
List of earthquakes in 1956
This is a list of earthquakes in 1956. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. Again a fairly active year. 11 magnitude 7.0+ earthquakes were recorded with the largest of those striking Greece in the summer. The event in Greece measured 7.7 and was one of the largest ever to affect the country. In all earthquakes in 1956 resulted in 910 fatalities. Iran had the deadliest event of the year with 347 deaths in October. Burma, Lebanon, Afghanistan Greece and India also suffered from deadly events.