Which are top five major earthquakes? Does Wednesday Russia quake features in list?
Japan Earthquake 2011
Sumatra Earthquake 2004
Chile Earthquake 1960
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The colossal magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's coast early Wednesday is set to be one of the largest ever recorded if its magnitude is not revised down by scientists studying the data. The quake is tied for the sixth-largest on record, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It is the most powerful since the 2011 earthquake off Japan's east coast, which triggered the Fukushima tsunami and nuclear disaster.1. Valdivia, Chile, 1960, magnitude 9.52. Alaska, United States, 1964, magnitude 9.23. Sumatra, Indonesia, 2004, magnitude 9.14. Tohoku, Japan, 2011, magnitude 9.15. Kamchatka, Russia, 1952, magnitude 9.0Japan Earthquake 2011, which had a magnitude of 9.1, was about 2.8 times stronger than Wednesday's. It created a tsunami 50 feet tall that rushed inland for miles with the speed of a locomotive, swallowing everything in its path and flooding more than 200 miles of shoreline. More than 19,000 people were killed.The earthquake and tsunami damaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant's reactors, leading to one of worst nuclear calamities in history and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from town and farming villages around the plant. Some still have not returned.Just as strong was the temblor that struck near the northern Indonesian island of Sumatra in 2004. It triggered the deadliest tsunami in recorded history, with waves as tall as 160 feet slamming into the coasts of more than a dozen countries. About 230,000 people were killed, over half of them in the Indonesian province of Aceh.For each whole-number increase in magnitude, the seismic energy released by a quake increases by about 31.6 times, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. This means that a magnitude 8.8 earthquake produces about 31.6 times more energy than a magnitude 7.8 quake.The strongest earthquake ever recorded, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, was the magnitude 9.5 quake off the coast of Chile in 1960. It killed 1,655 people and displaced 2 million more.The U.S. Geological Survey estimated that Wednesday's quake would result in tens of billions of dollars of economic damage for Russia, although there were no immediate reports of widespread destruction."Extensive damage is probable and the disaster is likely widespread," the agency said, adding, "Past events with this alert level have required a national or international level response."A1. Valdivia, Chile, 1960, magnitude 9.5. Alaska, United States, 1964, magnitude 9.2. Sumatra, Indonesia, 2004, magnitude 9.1. Tohoku, Japan, 2011, magnitude 9.1. Kamchatka, Russia, 1952, magnitude 9.0.A2. Earthquakes are caused by the sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust, usually due to the movement of tectonic plates. This release creates seismic waves that shake the ground.
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