|
| Year |
Location |
Magnitude |
Comment |
|
| 1886 |
Charleston, South Carolina
|
7.3 |
Local time: August 31
The largest historical earthquake in South Carolina.
One of the Largest Earthquakes in the United States.
This was the most powerful earthquake in
the eastern United States, after the largest Mississippi Embayment
earthquakes of 1811-1812. Earth scientists have yet to conclusively identify
the geologic fault that caused the earthquake.
|
|
| 1923 |
Kanto (Kwanto), Japan
|
7.9 |
142,800 deaths.
One of the world's most destructive earthquakes.
Extreme destruction in the Tokyo - Yokohama area from the earthquake and
subsequent firestorms, which burned
about 381,000 of the more than 694,000
houses that were partially or
completely destroyed. Although often
known as the Great Tokyo Earthquake
(or the Great Tokyo Fire), the damage
was apparently most severe at Yokohama.
Damage also occurred on the Boso and
Izu Peninsulas and on O-shima. Nearly
2 m (6 ft) of permanent uplift was
observed on the north shore of Sagami
Bay and horizontal displacements of as
much as 4.5 m (15 ft) were measured on
the Boso Peninsula. A tsunami was
generated in Sagami Bay with wave
heights as high as 12 m (39 ft) on
O-shima and 6 m (20 ft) on the Izu and
Boso Peninsulas. Sandblows were noted
at Hojo which intermittently shot
fountains of water to a height of 3 m
(10 ft).
|
|
| 1962 |
Qazvin, Iran
|
7.1 |
12,225 killed.
One of the world's deadliest earthquakes.
Ninety-one villages destroyed and 233
damaged; over 21,000 houses destroyed,
nearly all built of poor-quality
materials. Slight damage at Tehran.
Felt as far away as Tabriz, Esfahan
and Yazd. Based on damage to old
structures, this was probably the
largest earthquake in this immediate
area since at least 1630. Surface
faulting with small offsets occurred
in a 100-km (63-mi) east-west zone of
the Ipak Fault. Some landslides and
sandblows occurred. Earthquake lights
(a red to orange glow) from the Rudak
area were observed prior to the quake
by various people.
|
|
|
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey