U.S. experts say Indonesia quake one of five largest in a century

journalstar.com
Monday Dec. 27, 2004
U.S. experts say Indonesia quake one of five largest in a century BY
The Associated Press
NEW YORK – The magnitude-8.9 earthquake that struck Indonesia Sunday
was the world’s fifth most powerful since 1900 and the strongest since
a 9.2 temblor slammed Alaska 40 years ago, U.S. earthquake experts
said.
The globe’s most potent quake since 1900 struck with a 9.5 magnitude
in Chile in 1960. The quake in Prince William Sound Alaska occurred in
1964, the U.S. Geological Survey’s Web site said.
A magnitude 9.1 quake hit Alaska’s Andreanof Islands in 1957, and a
9.0 temblor rumbled on Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka peninsula 1952.
Other major quakes and their magnitudes were: Ecuador, 8.8 in 1906;
Alaska, 8.7 1965; Tibet, 8.6 1950; Kamchatka, 8.5 1923; Indonesia, 8.5
1938; and the Kuril Islands, 8.5 1963.
Other major earthquakes around in the world since early last century:
– Dec. 26, 2003: Southeastern Iran, Bam, magnitude 6.5; More than
41,000 killed.
– May 21, 2003: Northern Algeria, magnitude 6.8; Nearly 2,300 killed.
– March 25, 2002: Northern Afghanistan, magnitude 5.8; up to 1,000
killed.
– Jan. 26, 2001: India, magnitude 7.9; at least 2,500
killed. Estimates put death toll as high as 13,000.
– Sept. 21, 1999: Taiwan, magnitude 7.6; 2,400 killed.
– Aug. 17, 1999: Western Turkey, magnitude 7.4; 17,000 killed.
– Jan. 25, 1999: Western Colombia, magnitude 6; 1,171 killed.
– May 30, 1998: Northern Afghanistan and Tajikistan, magnitude 6.9;
as many as 5,000 killed.
– Jan. 17, 1995: Kobe, Japan, magnitude 7.2; more than 6,000 killed.
– Sept. 30, 1993: Latur, India, magnitude 6.0; as many as 10,000
killed.
– June 21, 1990: Northwest Iran, magnitude 7.3-7.7; 50,000 killed.
– Dec. 7, 1988: Northwest Armenia, magnitude 6.9; 25,000 killed.
– Sept. 19, 1985: Central Mexico, magnitude 8.1; more than 9,500
killed.
– Sept. 16, 1978: Northeast Iran, magnitude 7.7; 25,000 killed.
– July 28, 1976: Tangshan, China; magnitude 7.8-8.2; 240,000 killed.
– Feb. 4, 1976: Guatemala, magnitude 7.5; 22,778 killed.
– Feb. 29, 1960: Southwest Atlantic coast in Morocco; magnitude 5.7;
some 12,000 killed, town of Agadir destroyed.
– Dec. 26, 1939: Erzincan province, Turkey, magnitude 7.9; 33,000
killed.
– Jan. 24, 1939: Chillan, Chile, magnitude 8.3; 28,000 killed.
– May 31, 1935: Quetta, India, magnitude 7.5; 50,000 killed.
– Sept. 1, 1923: Tokyo-Yokohama, Japan, magnitude 8.3; at least
140,000 killed.