PlanetShake

Great Chilean Earthquake

Valdivia, Chile • May 22, 1960 • Fatalities: ~1,000–6,000

The most powerful earthquake ever recorded. It triggered a Pacific-wide tsunami that struck Chile, Hawaii, Japan, and the Philippines.

Great Alaska (Good Friday) Earthquake

Prince William Sound, Alaska • March 27, 1964 • Fatalities: ~131

The most powerful earthquake in North American history. It caused massive ground deformation and destructive tsunamis along the Pacific coast.

Indian Ocean (Sumatra–Andaman) Earthquake

Off Sumatra, Indonesia • December 26, 2004 • Fatalities: ~227,900

One of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. The tsunami devastated coastlines across 14 countries around the Indian Ocean.

Tōhoku Earthquake

Off the Pacific coast of Tōhoku, Japan • March 11, 2011 • Fatalities: ~19,750

Triggered a massive tsunami and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The most costly natural disaster in history.

Severo-Kurilsk Earthquake

Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia • November 4, 1952 • Fatalities: ~2,300

Generated a destructive tsunami that struck the Kuril Islands and crossed the Pacific to Hawaii.

Maule Earthquake

Maule, Chile • February 27, 2010 • Fatalities: ~525

One of the strongest earthquakes of the 21st century. The tsunami and shaking affected much of central Chile.

Ecuador–Colombia Earthquake

Off the coast of Ecuador • January 31, 1906 • Fatalities: ~500–1,500

Produced a strong tsunami that traveled across the Pacific, reaching Hawaii and Japan.

Rat Islands Earthquake

Rat Islands, Alaska • February 4, 1965 • Fatalities: 0

A great earthquake in the Aleutian arc that generated a tsunami up to 10 meters on Shemya Island.

Nias–Simeulue Earthquake

Northern Sumatra, Indonesia • March 28, 2005 • Fatalities: ~1,300

Struck three months after the 2004 megaquake, devastating the islands of Nias and Simeulue.

Assam–Tibet Earthquake

Assam, India / Tibet border • August 15, 1950 • Fatalities: ~4,800

The largest known continental earthquake, causing enormous landslides across the eastern Himalayas.

Andreanof Islands Earthquake

Andreanof Islands, Alaska • March 9, 1957 • Fatalities: 0

Generated a Pacific-wide tsunami and destroyed two bridges on Adak Island; waves reached Hawaii.

Indian Ocean Earthquake

Off Sumatra, Indonesia • April 11, 2012 • Fatalities: ~10

An unusually large strike-slip earthquake within the oceanic plate, rather than at a subduction zone.

Sichuan (Wenchuan) Earthquake

Sichuan, China • May 12, 2008 • Fatalities: ~87,600

A catastrophic inland earthquake that caused widespread destruction and landslides across Sichuan province.

San Francisco Earthquake

San Francisco, California • April 18, 1906 • Fatalities: ~3,000

Ruptured the San Andreas Fault and ignited fires that destroyed much of San Francisco.

Gorkha (Nepal) Earthquake

Gorkha, Nepal • April 25, 2015 • Fatalities: ~8,960

Devastated the Kathmandu Valley and triggered avalanches on Mount Everest.

Turkey–Syria Earthquake

Gaziantep, Turkey • February 6, 2023 • Fatalities: ~59,200

A doublet earthquake on the East Anatolian Fault that caused catastrophic damage across Turkey and Syria.

Tangshan Earthquake

Tangshan, China • July 28, 1976 • Fatalities: ~242,000

One of the deadliest earthquakes in history, it nearly leveled the industrial city of Tangshan.

Haiti Earthquake

Léogâne, Haiti • January 12, 2010 • Fatalities: ~100,000–316,000

Struck near the capital Port-au-Prince, causing immense loss of life and destroying much of the city's infrastructure.