Today in Earthquake History

On March 28th...

• M8.6 - Northern Sumatra, Indonesia, 2005

  At least 1,000 people killed, 300 injured and 300 buildings destroyed on Nias; 100 people killed, many injured and several buildings damaged on Simeulue; 200 people killed in Kepulauan Banyak; 3 people killed, 40 injured and some damage in the Meulaboh area, Sumatra. A 3 meter tsunami damaged the port and airport on Simeulue. Tsunami runup heights as high as 2 meters were observed on the west coast of Nias and 1 meter at Singkil and Meulaboh, Sumatra. At least 10 people were killed during evacuation of the coast of Sri Lanka.

• M6.9 - Western Turkey, 1970

  Over 1,000 killed. One of the world's deadliest earthquakes. More than 12,000 houses were destroyed or severely damaged in the Gediz-Emet area of Kutahya Province. Over 50 percent of the buildings were damaged in 53 villages in the area. A large amount of the damage was caused by landslides and fires triggered by the earthquake. Some damage occurred at Bursa and Yalova. It was felt at Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir and as far east as Erzincan. It was also felt on Chios (Khios) and Lesvos, Greece. Strong aftershocks caused considerable additional damage. A total of 61 km (38 mi) of predominantly normal (vertical, extensional or "pull-apart") faulting was observed in several zones in the Gediz area with a maximum offset of 275 cm (9 ft) on the Ayikayasi Fault. A large part of the fault displacements may be due to creep after the earthquake, rather than from the quake itself. Numerous landslides and changes in thermal springs occurred in the epicentral area.

• M7.1 - Near the West Coast of Central Chile, 1965

  About 400 persons were killed or missing, 350 were injured, and extensive property damage was reported throughout the area. The mining village of El Cobre completely disappeared after the shock shattered a 230-foot dam, cascading two million tons of water and mud into the town. There was extensive damage to bridges, roads, and public utilities, and structural damage to thousands of buildings in Santiago and Valparaiso. At Llay-Llay, almost every building was heavily damaged by the earthquake and ensuing fires. Several other towns north of Santiago reported extensive property damage.
  From United States Earthquakes, 1965.

• M9.2 - Prince William Sound, Alaska, 1964

  Local time: March 27 05:36:14 p.m. The second largest earthquake in the World, since 1900. This great earthquake and ensuing tsunami took 128 lives (tsunami 113, earthquake 15), and caused about $311 million in property loss.
  Abridged from Seismicity of the United States, 1568-1989 (Revised), by Carl W. Stover and Jerry L. Coffman.

• M5.1 - Near Merriman, Nebraska, 1964

  One of the largest historical earthquakes in Nebraska. Many cracks formed in the roadway south of Merriman, and steep slopes slumped into the Niobrara River. Merchandise in stores was broken, dishes were broken, and stucco under windows cracked. At Alliance, about 135 kilometers southwest of Merriman, part of a chimney cap fell on a house; at Rushville, about 35 kilometers southwest of Merriman, plaster fell and a wall cracked. Also felt in Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming.