The 10 Most Powerful Earthquakes Since 1900

As scenes destruction continue to pour out of Japan in the wake of the magnitude 8.9 earthquake that devastated that nation on March 11, 2011, reports have come in of just how powerful that quake actually was. Some unverified TV news reports indicate that the quake may have ripped a 500-mile long, 50-mile wide gash on the floor of the Pacific Ocean; physically shifted the island of Honshu by 8 feet; and could have actually affected the earth's rotation on its axis.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Japan earthquake ranks as the 5^th most powerful seismic event in history.

In descending order, here are the 10 most powerful earthquakes since 1900:

1. Chile, May 22, 1960: Magnitude: 9.5
Epicenter: Pacific Ocean, between Concepcion and Temuco, Chile
Deaths: 1,655 (est.)
Damage: $550 million (est.)
The largest, most powerful earthquake ever recorded to date. The ensuing tsunami, which eventually reached Japan and the Philippines, killed 230 people and caused an estimated $125 million in damage throughout the Pacific region.

2. Alaska, March 27, 1964. Magnitude 9.2
Epicenter: Prince William Sound, 120 miles southeast of Anchorage
Deaths: 128
Damage: $311 million (est.)
An entire 30-block area of downtown Anchorage, Alaska was nearly leveled by the shock, which had a duration of 3 minutes. The earthquake generated a vertical displacement over 320,000 square mile area, and a tsunami that caused damage in Canada, Hawaii, and the west coast of the United States.

3.Sumatra, Indonesia, December 26, 2004. Magnitude 9.1
Epicenter: 155 miles SSE of Banda Aceh in northern Sumatra
Deaths: 286,000 (est.)
Missing and presumed dead: 50,000 (est.)
Damage: No monetary value available.
It's estimated that over 1.7 million people in 14 southeast Asian countries were displaced by this earthquake and its ensuing tsunami, which was so powerful that tide gauges in the Atlantic Ocean recorded it.

4. Kamchatka, USSR (now Russia), November 4, 1952. Magnitude 9.0
Epicenter: Off the SE coast of Kamchatka Peninsula, USSR (now Russia)
Deaths: none reported
Damage: $5 million (est.)
This earthquake generated a tsunami that reached Alaska and Hawaii, where most of the estimated $5 million in property damage was reported. Originally calculated at magnitude 8.2; recalculated at 9.0 "to better reflect its size" by the USGS.

5.Japan, March 11, 2011. Magnitude 8.9
Epicenter: Approx. 80 miles east of Sendai, on northern island of Honshu
Deaths: 1,000 (preliminary estimates)
Missing/Unaccounted for: 10,000 - 80,000 (preliminary estimates)
Damage: not calculated to date; preliminary estimates: billions of USD.
Much of northern Japan was devastated by the most powerful earthquake and tsunami ever to strike Japan. Some estimates indicate as many as 10,000 - 80,000 people are missing and unaccounted for. As of this writing, rescue and recovery teams are just beginning to arrive in the most severely affected areas. Severe damage has been reported to at least two nuclear power plants. In addition to devastating much of northern Japan, the ensuing tsunami struck Hawaii, Australia, much of southeast Asia, and the west coast of North and South America.

6. Chile, February 27, 2010. Magnitude 8.8
Epicenter: Pacific Ocean, 60 miles NW of Chillan, Chile
Deaths: 521
Missing and presumed dead: 12,000
Damage: $30 billion (est. total economic loss)
An estimated 800,000 people were displaced by this earthquake and its ensuing tsunami. Over 375,000 houses, schools, and other structures in Chile were either destroyed or damaged. The tsunami was recorded as far west as the Philippines and as far north as Oregon in the United States.

7. Ecuador, January 31, 1906. Magnitude 8.8
Epicenter: Pacific Ocean, Approx. 100 miles W of Esmereldas, Ecuador
Deaths: 500-1,500 (est.)
Damage: $10 million (est. 2010 USD)
This earthquake generated a strong tsunami that came in three waves, striking all along the west coast of Central and North America. It was recorded as far west as Hawaii.

8. Alaska, February 4, 1965. Magnitude 8.7
Epicenter: Pacific Ocean, near the Rat Islands - Aleutian chain
Deaths: none reported.
Damage: $100,000 (est.)
This earthquake occurred in one of the most active seismic areas of the world. It ruptured a 600-km (375 mile) area of the western end of the Aleutian Islands. It generated a 10.7m (30-foot) tsunami that was observed on Shemya Island.

9. Sumatra, Indonesia, March 28, 2005: Magnitude 8.6
Epicenter: Indian Ocean, Approx. 125 miles WNW of Sibolga, Sumatra,
Deaths: 1,600 (est.)
Damage: 300 buildings destroyed; no monetary estimates given.
The epicenter of this earthquake was only 150 miles ESE of the epicenter of December 26, 2004 quake that killed over 250,000 people. This earthquake was felt as far away as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India and in Sri Lanka. The ensuing tsunami was recorded in India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Indonesia.

10. Assam-Tibet, August 15, 1950. Magnitude 8.6
Epicenter: Near Rima, eastern Tibet
Deaths: 1,526
Damage: No monetary estimates available.
This massive earthquake caused enormous landslides that blocked rivers and caused massive flooding. In the Medong area, the entire village of Yedong was washed away by landslides and floods. The quake was felt as far away as Calcutta, India.

SOURCES:

Largest Earthquakes in the World Since 1900 - usgs.gov

Great Alaska Earthquake - aeic.alaska.edu

Rat Islands Earthquake - aeic.alaska.edu