Today in Earthquake History

On May 16th...

• M7.7 - Loyalty Islands Region, 1995

  Felt (III) on the Loyalty Islands and at Noumea, New Caledonia. Tsunami generated with maximum wave heights (peak- to-trough) at the following locations: 40 cm at Port-Vila, Vanuatu; 10 cm at Pago Pago, American Samoa; 6 cm at Lautoka and 5 cm at Suva, Fiji; 3 cm at Apia, Western Samoa; 3 cm at Nukualofa, Tonga; 3 cm at Rarotonga, Cook Islands. The tsunami was also recorded along the coast of New South Wales, Australia.

• M8.2 - Off East Coast of Honshu, Japan, 1968

  Forty-seven people were killed, 281 injured, and $131 million property damage was sustained. The port city of Hachinohe incurred the greatest damage. A tsunami was generated that inundated low-lying areas and washed ashore or sank 95 ships. Several aftershocks were reported, two of which generated small tsunamis.
  From United States Earthquakes, 1968.

• M5.5 - North Dakota, 1909

  The largest historical earthquake in North Dakota. This moderate earthquake was felt widely over south-central Canada and the north-central United States, including the States of Montana and North Dakota. A retaining wall fell in Helena, southern Lewis and Clark County, Montana; plaster was cracked at Havre (northwest of Helena, in Hill County). The shock also was "severe" in Dickinson (Stark County), North Dakota. Some windows were broken and articles fell from shevles at a few towns in Saskatchewan, Canada.

• M - Near Moodus, Connecticut, 1791

  The largest historical earthquake in Connecticut. The first reported earthquake began with two heavy shocks in quick succession. Stone walls were shaken down, tops of chimneys were knocked off, and latched doors were thrown open. A fissure several meters long formed in the ground. In a short time, 30 lighter shocks occurred, and more than 100 continued during the night. Reported felt at Boston, Massachusetts, and New York City, New York.