Today in Earthquake History

On February 4th...

• M5.9 - Hindu Kush Region, Afghanistan, 1998

  At least 2,323 people killed, 818 injured, 8,094 houses destroyed, 6,725 livestock killed and landslides occurred in the Rostaq area, Afghanistan. Felt at Dushanbe, Tajikistan. One of the world's deadliest earthquakes.

• M6.5 - Northeastern Iran, 1997

  At least 88 people killed, nearly 2,000 injured, about 5,500 houses destroyed and 11,000 houses damaged in the Bojnurd-Shirvan area, Iran. Damage estimated at more than 30 million U.S. dollars. Felt in many parts of northeastern Iran, including Esfarayen, Mashhad, Neyshabur, Quchan, and Sabzevar.

• M7.5 - Guatemala, 1976

  Over 23,000 deaths. One of the world's deadliest earthquakes. The earthquake was centered about 160 kilometers northeast of Guatemala City. Thousands injured. Damage was extensive. Most adobe type structures in the outlying areas of Guatemala City were completely destroyed, leaving thousands homeless. Transporation was impeded by the many landslides occurring in the area. Food and water supplies were severely reduced. Some of the areas were without electricity and communication for days. The main shock was followed by thousands of aftershocks, some of the larger ones causing additional loss of life and damage.
  From Significant Earthquakes of the World 1976 and Earthquake Information Bulletin, Volume 8, Number 4.

• M7.0 - Yingkou, China, 1975

  Heavy damage and casualties reported in Yingkou-Haicheng area.
  From Significant Earthquakes of the World 1975. 2,000 dead. One of the world's deadliest earthquakes. "One well-known successful earthquake prediction was for the Haicheng, China earthquake of 1975, when an evacuation warning was issued the day before a M 7.3 earthquake. In the preceding months changes in land elevation and in ground water levels, widespread reports of peculiar animal behavior, and many foreshocks had led to a lower-level warning. An increase in foreshock activity triggered the evacuation warning. Unfortunately, most earthquakes do not have such obvious precursors. In spite of their success in 1975, there was no warning of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, magnitude 7.6, which caused an estimated 250,000 fatalities."

• M8.7 - Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, 1965

  One of the Largest Earthquakes in the World and one of the Largest Earthquakes in the United States. This earthquake caused a tsunami that was recorded widely across the Pacific. Minor flooding damage was reported from Amchitka, and from Shemya where wave heights were reported to have reached 30 to 35 feet along the southern shore of the island.
  From United States Earthquakes, 1965.

• M  - Calabria, Italy, 1783

  50,000 deaths. One of the world's most destructive earthquakes. A series of six strong earthquakes, occurring over a two-month period, caused massive destruction. Their effects were localized; while some towers were leveled, others nearby sustained only minor damage. Loss of life and property was enormous. The earthquakes were the subject of several detailed investigations, including a study by the first appointed "Earthquake Commission." The Calabrian earthquakes of 1783 were responsible for a great surge of interest in the construction of seismic recording instruments in eighteenth-century Italy. This was the first earthquake to be investigated scientifically.