What are the strongest earthquakes to hit the US?

More than 11 thousand people died in Turkey and Syria as a result of an earthquake of magnitude 7.8. Sunday and dozens of powerful aftershocks. It was the strongest earthquake in the region in over 100 years.

There were only a few notable earthquakes big enough to hit the US. The earliest of these dates back to 1700.

1. Anchorage, Alaska (magnitude 9.2) – March 1964

The most powerful recorded earthquake in US history occurred on March 27, 1964 at 5:36 pm local time, according to the USGS. An earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2 hit the Prince William Sound area in Alaska.

It is also the second largest earthquake ever recorded, after a magnitude 9.5 earthquake in Chile in 1960.

The quake lasted approximately 4.5 minutes and was centered about 75 miles east of Anchorage.

The earthquake and subsequent tsunami claimed 125 lives (tsunami 110, quake 15) and caused about $311 million in property damage, according to NOAA’s National Center for Environmental Information.

2. Pacific coast (magnitude 9.0) – January 1700

On January 26, 1700, a massive earthquake of magnitude 9.0 struck hundreds of miles along the deep waters of the Pacific Coast, forever changing the local landscape and sending tsunami not only on much of the west coast of North America, but thousands of miles across the Pacific to Japan.

The underwater Cascadia Fault tore 620 miles from the middle of Vancouver Island to northern California, causing massive tremors and a huge tsunami that swept across the Pacific Ocean.

The earthquake destroyed the homes of the Cowichan people on Vancouver Island in Canada and caused numerous landslides. The shaking was so strong that people could not stand, and so long that they became ill, writes the government of Canada.

9.0 EARTHQUAKE SHAKED ON THE PACIFIC COAST 323 YEARS AGO AND WENT TO JAPAN “ORHAND TSUNAMI”

Scientists have determined that entire forests perished for hundreds of miles when the coasts of the present-day states of Washington, Oregon and northern California suddenly collapsed 4 to 6 feet, flooding the coastline with seawater in an incredible tsunami. On the west coast of Vancouver Island, the tsunami completely destroyed the winter village of Pachen Bay residents, with no survivors.

The tsunami swept across the Pacific Ocean, causing destruction along the Pacific coast of Japan.

3. Fort Tejon, California (magnitude 7.9) – January 1857

The USGS stated that relatively little is known about seismic activity near Parkfield, California during the massive Fort Tejon earthquake on January 9, 1857.

A right hand slip on the San Andreas created a tremor that lasted 1 to 3 minutes and was felt over 135,000 square miles in central and southern California. The state currently covers 163,695 square miles.

Property losses at Fort Tejon, an army outpost located about 4 miles from the San Andreas Fault, were heavy, according to the USGS. About 12 miles west of Fort Tejon, trees were uprooted and buildings destroyed between Fort Tejon and Lake Elizabeth.

According to the US Geological Survey, one person died as a result of the collapse of an adobe house in Gorman.

4. San Francisco (magnitude 7.9) – April 1906

The April 18, 1906 California earthquake is considered one of the most significant earthquakes of all time, according to the USGS.

At 5:12 a.m. local time, a foreshock occurred strong enough to be felt throughout San Francisco Bay, according to the USGS. The great quake struck about 20 to 25 seconds later, with an epicenter near San Francisco. Strong aftershocks lasted from 45 to 60 seconds.

“It is now believed that the oft-cited figure of 700 people who died as a result of the earthquake and fire underestimates the total loss of life by 3 or 4 times,” the US Geological Survey said in a statement. “Most deaths have occurred in San Francisco, while 189 people have been reported elsewhere.”

5. Sonora, Mexico (magnitude 7.6) – May 1887

On May 3, 1887, a major seismic event with an estimated magnitude of 7.2 shook much of the southwestern United States and Mexico, according to the Arizona Geological Survey.

The epicenter was south of the Arizona-Mexico border in the San Bernardino Valley. It covered an area of ​​almost 772,000 square miles.

This resulted in 51 deaths in northern Sonora, Mexico, and significant property destruction in southeastern Arizona as well as adjacent parts of Mexico. Moderate damage also occurred in New Mexico.

According to the Arizona Geological Survey, this is historically the largest known earthquake to have caused damage in Arizona.

Honorable mention

There have been a number of other major earthquakes in American history that may not have been judged by their magnitude, but are notable for the damage and destruction they caused.

New Madrid, Missouri (Estimated Value 7.5) – February 1812

February 7, 1812 the most powerful of a series of major earthquakes collapsed near the city of New Madrid in the southeast Missouri.

At the time, New Madrid was the largest settlement on the Mississippi River between St. Louis, Missouri and Natchez. Mississippi. But over time, scientists discovered that New Madrid also sat on most seismically active area east of the Rocky Mountains until 2014.

This seismic zone of New Madrid produced a series of earthquakes and hundreds of powerful aftershocks for the winter of 1811-1812, including three of largest earthquakes in the usa ever recorded east of the Rocky Mountains.

The largest of the three strikes occurred on February 7, 1812 at 3:45 am local time. A measurement with a magnitude of about 7.5, earthquake gutted new madrid. The quake was also strong enough to seriously damage homes in St. Louis, about 160 miles away.

WHEN AN EARTHQUAKE CAUSED THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO FLOW IN THE REVERSE EAST

The earthquake even changed the banks of the Mississippi River. the current of the river flows back for a while after the earthquake.

Loma Prieta earthquake – San Francisco Bay Area (magnitude 6.9) – October 1989

An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 that occurred on October 17, 1989 America instantly became aware of itself when it happened during the broadcast of the third game of the World Series, which took place a few minutes before the start at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.

Soft soils in the region doubled the shaking and caused severe damage throughout the bay area. The quake killed 63 people and caused $6 billion to $10 billion in property damage, according to the US Geological Survey. Forty-two victims were caused by the collapse of the double-decker Interstate 880/Cypress Freeway in Oakland.

The freeway collapse led to changes on the West Coast, with San Francisco and Seattle later demolishing similarly designed double-deck freeways due to concerns that they might be vulnerable to future collapse from an earthquake. Annual Great American Shake when a country is tasked with practicing an earthquake drill, usually held on or near the anniversary of that earthquake.

Northridge earthquake – Los Angeles area (magnitude 6.7) – January 1994

Almost 5 years after the Bay Area turmoil, it’s southern California’s turn 6.7 magnitude earthquake tore Los Angeles residents out of bed in the wee hours of January 17, 1994.

The quake killed at least 57 people and caused up to $20 billion in damage, making it the costliest earthquake in US history.

The earthquake severely tested building codes, earthquake-resistant construction, and emergency preparedness and response procedures. according to the US Geological Survey.

The quake presented seismologists with several surprises, including a strong vertical jolt during the quake that created unexpected structural damage near the fault. Steel frames collapsed in more than 100 buildings designed for such earthquakes. And more than 170 highway bridges have failed despite a multi-year freeway modernization program.

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