Top 10

Strongest earthquakes in the last century by magnitude

May 22, 1960 - Chile - An earthquake measuring 9.5 struck Santiago and Concepcion, triggering tidal waves and volcanic eruptions.

March 28, 1964 - Alaska (USA) - An earthquake and ensuing tsunami killed 125 people and caused about $311 million in property loss.

Dec 26, 2004 - Indonesia - A 9.1 quake struck the coast of Aceh province on the Indonesian island of Sumatra and set off a tsunami that killed more than 226,306 in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia and India.

Nov 4, 1952 - Russia - An earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 generated a tsunami that reached the Hawaiian islands.

Feb 27, 2010 - Chile - An 8.8 magnitude quake struck Chile, wrecking hundreds of thousands of homes, mangling highways and bridges.

Jan 31, 1906 - Ecuador - An earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 struck near the coast of Ecuador and Colombia, generating a strong tsunami that killed up to 1,000.

Feb 4, 1965 - Alaska (USA)- Measuring 8.7, the quake generated a tsunami reported to be about 35 feet (10.7 meters) high on Shemya Island.

March 28, 2005 - Indonesia - A magnitude 8.7 quake off Sumatra was estimated to have killed 1,300 people.

March 9, 1957 - Alaska (USA)- An earthquake with a magnitude of 8.6 rattled the Andreanof Islands.

Aug 15, 1950 - Tibet (China) /India - Two thousand homes, temples and mosques were destroyed in a quake measuring 8.6.

Reuters / earthquake.usgs.gov

(China Daily 03/03/2010 page11)