|
| Year |
Location |
Magnitude |
Comment |
|
| 1896 |
Sanriku, Japan
|
8.5 |
Damage extreme. Tsunami. Over 27,000 deaths.
From
Catalog of Significant Earthquakes, 2000 B.C. - 1979,
published by World Data Center A for Solid Earth Geophysics,
Report SE-27, July 1981.
"Fishermen twenty miles out to sea didn't notice the wave pass under their boats because it only had a
height at the time of about fifteen inches. They were totally unprepared for the devastation that awaited them
when they returned to the port of Sanriku. Twenty-eight thousand people were killed and 170 miles of
coastline were destroyed by the wave that had passed under them."
From
"The Physics Behind the Wave."
"On June 15, 1896, nearly 22,000 Japanese lost their lives due to the most devastating tsunami in Japanese history. The tsunami,
which was generated by an earthquake off the coast of Sanriku, Japan, attained a height of 25 meters (80 feet), and instantly
swept away all houses and people when it reached land. The tsunami was also observed across the Pacific. In Hawaii, wharves
were demolished and several houses were swept away. In California, a 9.5 feet wave was observed, according to the San
Francisco Chronicle of June 16, 1896. This Sanriku tsunami served as an impetus for tsunami research in Japan. "
From
Research Describes Origin of Devastating Tsunami.
|
|
| 1982 |
Sichuan Province, China
|
5.6 |
Ten people killed, 5 injured and damage in the
Garze area.
From
Significant Earthquakes of the World, 1982.
|
|
| 1991 |
Luzon, Philippine Islands
|
5.6 |
Felt at Manila. This is the
largest of a series of earthquakes associated with the eruption
of Pinatubo Volcano. At least 137 people were killed and
extensive damage was caused in Zambales Province by the
eruptions.
From
Significant Earthquakes of the World 1991.
|
|
| 1995 |
Greece
|
6.5 |
Twenty-six people killed and sixty injured in the Aiyion
area. Extensive damage occurred at Aiyion and Eratini. Damage
also occurred at Corinth, Patras and Pirgos. Preliminary
estimate of damage was placed at 660 million US dollars. Felt
at Athens, Ioannina, Kalamata, Kardhitsa and Kozani. Also felt
on Kefallina.
From
Significant Earthquakes of the World 1995.
|
|
| 1999 |
Central Mexico
|
7.0 |
10th Anniversary
Fourteen
people killed, about 200 injured and considerable damage
(VIII) to thousands of buildings and several bridges in
Puebla; one person killed by a landslide, dozens injured
and damage to buildings and bridges in Veracruz; one person
killed, dozens injured, many buildings and roads damaged in
Oaxaca; one person killed and some buildings damaged in
Morelos; one person died of a heart attack and some
buildings damaged in Guerrero; two people died of heart
attacks and minor damage to buildings in the Distrito
Federal. Dozens injured and damage in the states of Mexico
and Tlaxcala; two people injured in Hidalgo. A railroad was
damaged between Calco and Mixquic. Felt in much of central
and southern Mexico from Aguascalientes to Chiapas.
From
Significant Earthquakes of the World 1999.
|
|
| 2005 |
Off the coast of Northern California
|
7.2 |
Felt (IV) at
Crescent City, Ferndale, Kneeland, Loleta and Petrolia; (III) at
Arcata, Bayside, Blue Lake, Carlotta, Dunsmuir, Eureka, Fortuna,
Garberville, Gasquet, Hoopa, Hydesville, Klamath, McKinleyville,
Mount Shasta, Orick, Orleans, Redcrest, Redway, Rio Dell,
Scotia, Smith River, Trinidad, Whitethorn, Willow Creek and
Yreka. Also felt (III) at Azalea, Brookings, Glendale, Grants
Pass, Jacksonville, Merlin, Roseburg and Wolf Creek, Oregon.
Felt from southwestern Oregon south to the San Francisco Bay
area and by some people in the Portland and Los Angeles areas. A
tsunami was generated with maximum recorded wave heights (peak-
to-trough) of 26 cm at Crescent City, 6.5 cm at Arena Cove and 5
cm at North Spit, California; 3.5 cm at Tofino and 2 cm at
Bamfield, British Columbia, Canada.
From
Significant Earthquakes of the World 2005.
|
|
|
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey