The 8 Most Powerful Earthquakes Ever Recorded

May 22, 1960 - Chile

 Magnitude: 9.5 

At 19:11:14 UTC, the largest earthquake in recorded history occurred. The earthquake triggered a tsunami that affected most of the Pacific, causing fatalities in Hawaii, Japan, and the Philippines. In Chile alone, it killed 1,655 people and left more than 2,000,000 homeless. 

March 28, 1964 - Alaska

 Magnitude: 9.2

The "Good Friday Earthquake" claimed the lives of 131 people and lasted for four full minutes. The earthquake caused destruction in the surrounding 130,000 square kilometers (including Anchorage, which was heavily damaged) and was felt in all of Alaska and parts of Canada and Washington.

December 26, 2004 - Indonesia

 Magnitude: 9.1

In 2004, an earthquake struck off the western coast of northern Sumatra and devastated 14 countries in Asia and Africa. The earthquake caused great destruction, ranking as high as IX on the Mercalli Intensity Scale (MM), and the ensuing tsunami caused more casualties than any other in history. 

March 11, 2011 - Japan

Magnitude: 9.0 

Striking near the east coast of Honshu, Japan, this earthquake killed more than 15,000 people and displaced another 130,000. Its damage totaled more than 309 billion U.S. dollars, making it the costliest natural disaster in history. The ensuing tsunami, which reached heights upwards of 97 feet locally, affected the entire Pacific. It was even large enough to cause an ice shelf to calve in Antarctica. The waves also damaged a nuclear power plant in Fukushima, causing a level 7 (out of 7) meltdown. 

November 4, 1952 - Russia (Kamchatka Peninsula)

Magnitude: 9.0 

Incredibly, no person was killed from this earthquake. In fact, the only casualties occurred more than 3,000 miles away, when 6 cows in Hawaii died from the subsequent tsunami. It was originally given a 8.2 rating, but was later recalculated. 

A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Kamchatka region again in 2006. 

February 27, 2010 - Chile

 Magnitude: 8.8

This earthquake killed more than 500 people and was felt as high as IX MM. The total economic loss in Chile alone was more than 30 billion U.S. dollars. Once again, a major tsunami occurred Pacific-wide, causing damage as far as San Diego, CA. 

January 31, 1906 - Ecuador

 Magnitude: 8.8

This earthquake occurred off the coast of Ecuador and killed between 500-1,500 people from its ensuing tsunami. This tsunami affected the entire Pacific, reaching the shores of Japan approximately 20 hours later. 

February 4, 1965 - Alaska

Magnitude: 8.7

This earthquake ruptured a 600-km segment of the Aleutian Islands. It generated a tsunami around 35 feet high on a nearby island, but caused very little other damage to a state devastated a year earlier when the "Good Friday Earthquake" hit the region.

Other Historical Earthquakes

 Of course, earthquakes occurred before 1900, they were just not measured as accurately. Here are some notable pre-1900 earthquakes with estimated magnitude and, when available, intensity:

• August 13, 1868 - Arica, Peru (now Chile): Estimated magnitude: 9.0; Mercalli intensity: XI.
• November 1, 1755 - Lisbon, Portugal: Estimated magnitude: 8.7; Mercalli intensity: X.
• January 26, 1700 - Cascadia Region (Pacific Northwest), United States and Canada: Estimated magnitude: ~9. This earthquake is known from written records of its subsequent tsunami in Japan.