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earthquake
Table of Contents
References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images, Videos & Interactives
Kōbe earthquake of 1995 earthquake-damaged neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti earthquake epicentres San Francisco earthquake of 1906 global seismic centres in 1975–99
The video thumbnail image shows a woman trying to break a bundle of pasta strands as part of a scientific demonstration.
Buildings collapse on a street in Myanmar, while onlookers stand by.
Fault types in tectonic earthquakes map of active volcanoes and thermal fields
Understanding earthquakes: The role of Earth's crustal plates
For Students
Burning and collapsed buildings in Kōbe, Japan, after the January 1995 earthquake.
earthquake summary
Quizzes
rain. Child in the rain, wearing a rain coat, under a yellow umbrella. April Showers weather climate rain storm water drops
April Showers to March’s Lions and Lambs
Warm water fuels Hurricane Katrina. This image depicts a 3-day average of actual dea surface temperatures for the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, from August 25-27, 2005.
Disasters of Historic Proportion
Cross section of Earth showing the core, mantle, and crust
The Solid Earth Quiz
Encyclopaedia Britannica thistle graphic to be used with a Mendel/Consumer quiz in place of a photograph.
36 Questions from Britannica’s Most Popular Science Quizzes
Related Questions
Read Next
earthquake. Heavily damaged school in the town of Yingxiu after a major earthquake struck China's Sichuan Province on May 12, 2008.
The 6 Deadliest Earthquakes Since 1950
VAN, TURKEY - OCTOBER 25: A building and car ruined during the earthquake of Van-Ercis on October 25, 2011 in Van, Turkey. It is 604 killed and 4152 injured in Van-Ercis Earthquake.
What Is an Aftershock?
In this aerial photo, structures are damaged and destroyed October 15, 2005 in Balakot, Pakistan. It is estimated that 90% of the city of Balakot was leveled by the earthquake. The death toll in the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck northern Pakistan on October 8, 2005 is believed to be 38,000 with at least 1,300 more dead in Indian Kashmir. SEE CONTENT NOTES.
6 of the World’s Deadliest Natural Disasters
Composite image - Katsushika Hokusai The Great Wave off Kanagawa, color woodcut print, with background of Seismograph recording seismic activity and detecting an earthquake
How Do Scientists Predict Tsunamis After Earthquakes?
An Air Force search and rescue team in an HH-60 G Pave Hawk helicopter surveys the damage as it flies over Sendai, Japan, March 14, 2011. Japan 2011
Five Years Later: The Great Sendai Earthquake
Discover
NBA Lakers Celtics Finals Kevin Garnett shooting.
10 Great Sports Rivalries
Mona Lisa, oil on wood panel by Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1503-06; in the Louvre, Paris, France. 77 x 53 cm.
Why Is the Mona Lisa So Famous?
Illustration for Demystified "How Dangerous is Quicksand"
How Deadly Is Quicksand?
African Americans demonstrating for voting rights in front of the White House as police and others watch, March 12, 1965. One sign reads, "We demand the right to vote everywhere." Voting Rights Act, civil rights.
Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement
Artist interpretation of a Space meteoroid impact. Meteor impact. Asteroid, End of the world, danger, destruction, dinosaur extinct, Judgement Day, Planet Earth, Doomsday Predictions, comet
10 Failed Doomsday Predictions
Statue of Nostradamus
Nostradamus and His Prophecies
July, 2006, Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery STS-121. See attached for full caption information.
Will Light-Speed Space Travel Ever Be Possible?

earthquake: Facts & Related Content

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News •

A magnitude 6.2 quake shakes Istanbul and injures more than 230 people • Apr. 23, 2025, 1:59 PM ET (AP)
Aftershocks and lack of resources hinder recovery work 3 weeks after Myanmar's deadly earthquake • Apr. 19, 2025, 5:35 AM ET (AP)
Elephants at San Diego safari park huddle to protect calves during earthquake • Apr. 14, 2025, 10:16 PM ET (AP)
Rockies manager Bud Black's commute to Dodger Stadium interrupted by Southern California earthquake • Apr. 14, 2025, 10:08 PM ET (AP)
5.2-magnitude quake shakes Southern California, tumbling rocks onto roads and items off shelves • Apr. 14, 2025, 5:10 PM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As earth tremor

Photos and Videos

Kōbe earthquake of 1995
earthquake-damaged neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti
earthquake epicentres
San Francisco earthquake of 1906
global seismic centres in 1975–99
Fault types in tectonic earthquakes
map of active volcanoes and thermal fields
tsunami
seismic wave: main types
physical clues for earthquake prediction
The video thumbnail image shows a woman trying to break a bundle of pasta strands as part of a scientific demonstration.
Buildings collapse on a street in Myanmar, while onlookers stand by.
Understanding earthquakes: The role of Earth's crustal plates
See the testing of new bridge design which is capable of resisting earthquakes
The video thumbnail image shows a woman sitting at a table with tools for a scientific demonstration.
See All Videos, Images and Interactives →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Key People

John Michell
British geologist and astronomer
Boris Borisovich, Prince Golitsyn
Russian physicist
Richter, Charles F.
Charles F. Richter
American physicist
Day, Arthur L.
Arthur L. Day
American geophysicist

Related Quizzes and Features

Quiz
rain. Child in the rain, wearing a rain coat, under a yellow umbrella. April Showers weather climate rain storm water drops
April Showers to March’s Lions and Lambs
Cross section of Earth showing the core, mantle, and crust
The Solid Earth Quiz
Encyclopaedia Britannica thistle graphic to be used with a Mendel/Consumer quiz in place of a photograph.
36 Questions from Britannica’s Most Popular Science Quizzes
Warm water fuels Hurricane Katrina. This image depicts a 3-day average of actual dea surface temperatures for the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, from August 25-27, 2005.
Disasters of Historic Proportion
List
In this aerial photo, structures are damaged and destroyed October 15, 2005 in Balakot, Pakistan. It is estimated that 90% of the city of Balakot was leveled by the earthquake. The death toll in the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck northern Pakistan on October 8, 2005 is believed to be 38,000 with at least 1,300 more dead in Indian Kashmir. SEE CONTENT NOTES.
6 of the World’s Deadliest Natural Disasters
earthquake. Heavily damaged school in the town of Yingxiu after a major earthquake struck China's Sichuan Province on May 12, 2008.
The 6 Deadliest Earthquakes Since 1950
Demystified
VAN, TURKEY - OCTOBER 25: A building and car ruined during the earthquake of Van-Ercis on October 25, 2011 in Van, Turkey. It is 604 killed and 4152 injured in Van-Ercis Earthquake.
What Is an Aftershock?