Geological Survey USA

Earthquakes, earthquake in Russia among the 10 most powerful ever recorded

30 July 2025

Gli sfollati scendono da un camion mentre i soccorritori li trasferiscono in un'area sicura a causa del pericolo di tsunami in seguito a un potente terremoto, nella regione di Kamchatka, in Russia, il 30 luglio 2025, in questo fermo immagine tratto da un video. Ministero delle Emergenze russo/Handout via REUTERS

2' min read

The magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck the Kamchatka region of Russia's Far East ranks among the ten most powerful ever recorded. Here is an overview according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

1) BIO (CHILE) - In 1960, a 9.5 magnitude earthquake struck the central region of Chile. Known as the Earthquake of Valdivia or the Great Chile Earthquake, the strongest ever recorded, it claimed more than 1,600 lives in the country and beyond, most of them due to the ensuing tsunami. Thousands of people were injured.

2) ALASKA (USA) - In 1964, a magnitude 9.2 earthquake shook Prince William Sound in Alaska, lasting almost five minutes. More than 130 people were killed in the largest earthquake ever recorded in the United States and the resulting tsunami. There were huge landslides and huge waves that caused severe flooding. The event was followed by thousands of aftershocks for weeks after the initial earthquake.

3) SUMATRA (INDONESIA) - In 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake and the tsunami that followed devastated South East Asia, South Asia and East Africa, killing 230,000 people. In Indonesia alone, more than 167,000 deaths were recorded, with entire communities wiped out.

4) TOHOKU (JAPAN) - In 2011, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck the northeast coast of Japan, triggering a tsunami that swept through the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The earthquake knocked out the power and cooling systems, causing three reactors to melt down. The earthquake and tsunami claimed over 18,000 lives, some of which have never been found.

5) KAMCHATKA (RUSSIA) - In 1952, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake caused extensive damage but no casualties were reported, despite a tsunami that hit Hawaii with waves 9.1 metres high.

6) BIO (CHILE) - In 2010, a strong 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Chile, shaking the capital Santiago for a minute and a half and causing a tsunami. The disaster claimed more than 500 lives.

7) ESMERALDAS (ECUADOR) - In 1906, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake and the tsunami that followed killed about 1,500 people. The effects were felt for miles along the Central American coast and as far as San Francisco and Japan.

8) ALASKA (USA) - In 1965, an 8.7 magnitude earthquake hit the Rat Islands of Alaska, causing a tsunami 11 metres high. There was relatively minor damage, including cracks in buildings and an asphalt runway.

9) TIBET - At least 780 people lost their lives when an 8.6 magnitude earthquake struck the area in 1950. Dozens of villages were destroyed, including at least one that slipped into a river. There were also serious landslides that blocked the Subansiri River in India causing a deadly 7 metre high wave.

10) SUMATRA (INDONESIA) - In 2012, a powerful 8.6 magnitude earthquake struck the west coast of North Sumatra, Indonesia. Although the earthquake caused little damage, it increased pressure on a fault that had been at the origin of the devastating 2004 tsunami.