Timeline of Significant Earthquakes The Earthquake Timeline covers major Earthquakes in history. For a more detailed look, read the articles in full below, or search for Earthquakes in this archive.
1812 New Madrid, Missouri, is struck by three earthquakes in three months. Each quake was at or near a magnitude of eight on the Richter scale. Read Article Earthquake The Gettysburg Times, February 2, 1812 1857 An earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale shakes Fort Tejon, California, rupturing ground from Cholame to San Bernadino more than 225 miles apart. Read Article Southern Cal may be feeling effects of 1857 quake The Mountain Democrat, May 21, 1993 1868 The eruption of the Hawaiian volcano Mauna Loa triggers an earthquake that registers 7.9 on the Richter scale. Read Article Terrible Earthquakes And Loss Of Life In The Sandwich Islands The Petersburg Index, May 11, 1868 1886 Charleston, South Carolina, sustains severe damage from a 7.3 magnitude earthquake. The quake causes $5 million to $6 million in property damage and kills 60 people. Read Article The Earthquake The Daily Kennebec Journal, September 2, 1886 1896 Japan is shaken by an 8.5 magnitude quake, killing thousands and causing an unknown amount of damage. Read Article Disaster In Japan The Steubenville Daily Herald, June 18, 1896 1906 San Francisco is ravaged by an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale. The quake took an estimated 3,000 lives and caused $524 million in property damage in and around the city. Read Article (pictured on right) San Francisco Doomed The Oakland Tribune, April 18, 1906 1908 An earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale strikes Italy, the death toll is estimated between 70 and 100,000 people. Read Article Worst in History The Nebraska State Journal, December 31, 1908 1922 An 8.0 magnitude quake strikes central Chile. The quake causes millions of dollars in damage and kills hundreds. Read Article (pictured on right) Quake, Tidal Wave The Kansas City Star, November 12, 1922 1933 A tidal wave caused by an 8.4 magnitude earthquake kills hundreds on the island of Honshu, Japan. The initial death toll is reported at 372, but hundreds more are missing and feared dead. Read Article Scores Die When Tidal Wave Sweeps Tokyo Region The Modesto News-Herald, March 3, 1933 1940 Imperial Valley, California, is severely damaged by an earthquake which measured 7.1 in magnitude. The quake killed nine people and caused an estimated $6 million in property damage. Read Article (pictured on right) California Jarred by Damaging Earthquake The Zanesville Signal, May 20, 1940 1948 A massive earthquake strikes the Soviet province of Turkmenistan. The death toll would eventually reach nearly 110,000 people. Read Article 6,000 Injured, 600 Children 'Orphaned' in Russian Quake The Waterloo Daily Courier, October 10, 1948 1952 Kern County, California, is struck by the most powerful American earthquake since the 1906 quake in San Francisco. The quake kills 11 and causes nearly $60 million in property damage. Read Article Eleven Die in Earthquake The Galveston Daily News, July 22, 1952 1960 The largest earthquake in world history, registering at 9.5 on the Richter scale, strikes Chile. More than 2,000 people are killed in Chile and hundreds more die after a tsunami caused by the quake hits Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines. Read Article Third Earthquake Strikes Chile Stevens Point Daily Journal, May 23, 1960 1970 An earthquake off the coast of Peru measuring 7.9 in magnitude causes more than $530 million in damage. The death toll is estimated to be 66,000. Read Article (pictured on right) Hundreds Killed When Earthquake Hits Peru The Daily Times-News, June 1, 1970 1976 Tangshan, China, is hit by two quakes in 16 hours, the first registered 7.5 in magnitude with a major aftershock 15 hours later. The two quakes kill an estimated 240,000 people. Read Article (pictured on right) 2 quakes jolt China, heavy toll is feared The Chronicle Telegram, July 28, 1976 1985 An 8.0 magnitude earthquake kills 9,500 and causes between $3 billion and $4 billion dollars in damage in central Mexico. Read Article Death toll mounts after major quake in central Mexico The Daily Intelligencer, September 20, 1985 1989 While 60,000 fans are attending a World Series game in Candlestick Park, an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale strikes San Francisco. Read Article (pictured on right) California Earthquake The Intelligencer, October 18, 1989 1990 Northwestern Iran is shaken by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake. The quake kills an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 people. Read Article Quake kills 1,000 in Iran The Syracuse Herald, June 21, 1990 1995 5,502 people are killed in Kobe, Japan, when it is struck by an earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale. Read Article (pictured on right) Massive quake jolts Japan The Capital, January 17, 1995 2004 A tsunami caused by an earthquake that registered 9.0 on the Richter scale smashes into several Asian nations. The combined death toll from the earthquake and tsunami is nearly 160,000. Read Article (pictured on right) Tsunami devastates Asia The Frederick News-Post, December 27, 2004 2005 Thousands are killed when a 7.6 magnitude quake strikes in the Kashmiri region of Pakistan. Read Article Quake slams three nations The Post-Standard, October 9, 2005		Newspaper Articles (click to view readable full images) The Oakland Tribune April 18, 1906 The Kansas City Star November 12, 1922 The Zanesville Signal May 20, 1940 Stevens Point Daily Journal May 23, 1960 The Daily Times-News June 1, 1970 The Chronicle Telegram July 28, 1976 The Intelligencer October 18, 1989 The Capital January 17, 1995 The Frederick News-Post December 27, 2004