I can’t believe I’ve done forty of these lists so far. Wow. Anyway, this week I’m tackling the topic of earthquakes. Did you know that there are actually thirteen earthquakes in recorded history that are larger than magnitude 8.5? Scary, isn’t it? For the sake of comparison, please note that the devastating San Francisco earthquake of 1906 only rated a magnitude of 7.8.
How’s that earthquake preparedness coming along?
13 Earthquakes Larger Than Magnitude 8.5:
* Chile – M 9.5 (22 May 1960) – Known as “The Largest Earthquake in the World” and “The Largest Earthquake of the 20th Century.” Approximately 1,655 people were killed and 3,000 injured worldwide, and the Tsunamis reached Japan and the Philippines.
* Prince William Sound, Alaska – M 9.2 (28 March 1964) – In this earthquake lasting an estimate three minutes (and the ensuing tsunami) only 128 people lost their lives. The property damage was rather more extensive.
* Sumatra-Andaman Islands – M 9.1 (26 December 2004) – The tsunami resulting from this earthquake caused more casualties than any other in recorded history.
* Kamchatka – M 9.0 (4 November 1952) – Amazingly, no one was killed by this earthquake or the resulting tsunami, though it was reported that six cows died in Oahu.
* Arica, Peru (now Chile) – M 9.0 (13 August 1868) – This earthquake and the following tsunami were responsible for 25,000 deaths, and the grounding of three large ships 300 meters inland.
* Cascadia Subduction Zone – M 9.0 (26 January 1700) – The tsunami from the earthquake struck both the Pacific Coast from Northern California up to British Columbia and also damaged Japanese coastal villages.
* Off the Coast of Esmeraldas, Ecuador – M 8.8 (31 January 1906) – Various reports have the number of casualties from this seismic event from 500 to 1500 people. All sorts of tidal disturbances were recorded in the Hawaiian Islands.
* Rat Islands, Alaska – M 8.7 (4 February 1965) – A tsunami triggered by this earthquake was recorded as reaching 10.7 meters in height when it arrived on Shemya Island.
* Lisbon, Portugal – M 8.7 (1 November 1755) – One fourth of the population of Lisbon died in this earthquake. *shiver*
* Valparasio, Chile – M 8.7 (8 July 1730) – No specifics are listed for this earthquake, but judging by the date and location…I’m not surprised.
* Northern Sumatra, Indonesia – M 8.6 (28 March 2005) – Over a thousand people perished as a result of this seismic event. The resulting tsunamis were comparatively small, but also did their share of damage.
* Andreanof Islands, Alaska – M 8.6 (9 March 1957) – This earthquake caused Mount Vsevidof to erupt after being dormant for 200 years.
* Assam – Tibet – M 8.6 (15 August 1950) – Among the various other types of destruction, the village of Yedong slid into a river and was washed away. Yes. An entire village.
fremontlibraries.wordpress.com 
I will show your site to my son. He’s interested in earthquakes. Happy TT!
WOW! It’s hard to believe how few people died in some of those and how many in others. An entire village! A quarter of the population of Lisbon! I was even alive when some of them happened, and I don’t remember hearing about them.
Thanks for the history lesson. Happy TT!
This was really interesting, and even more so because of the links you provided.
Wow. Just wow. I’m so US centric that it never occurs to me that all of this is going on in my own continent! Wow.
My family has a collection of slides that were taken after the 1964 quake in Alaska. — I believe they were taken by my grandfather.
My father in law is a geophysicist who studies earthquakes. Happy TT.
Brenda, over at quake.usgs.gov they have earthquake maps for CA/NV. I’m sure they have them for other states, too.
Thanks for stopping by, Denise. That village thing really surprised me, too.
Glad you liked it, Jen. Thanks for stopping by.
Freaky isn’t it, Claudia? Add to that the supervolcano under Yellowstone and it all becomes a bit frightening.
Beth, sounds like something y’all should scan and put up on flickr.
Sarah, I’m sure that he can feel the envy headed his way. 😉