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Lisbon Earthquake
The magnitude 8.5-9.0. Death toll: 40,000. Interesting fact: 85% of buildings of Lisbon were destroyed and inspired a remodeling of the city with wider streets and larger squares. -
Krakatoa Eruption
Magnitude VEI of 6. Around 36,417 casualties. Eruption destroyed two thirds of the island. -
Aleutian Earthquake (Alaska)
8.6 magnitude. 165 casualties. Waves reached well over 115 feet and were moving at speeds of over 490 miles an hour. -
The Great Chilean Earthquake (1960 Valdivia earthquake)
Magnitude: 9.6
Casualties: 1,655
This was the largest earthquake of the 20th century caused by the Nazca Plate. -
Good Friday earthquake (Alaska)
Magnitude: 9.2
Casualties: 131
The high magnitude of this made it the most powerful earthquake in North America. -
Okushiri earthquake (Hokkaido, Japan)
Magnitude: 7.7
Casualties: 230
The tsunami was followed by fires caused by methane gas. -
1998 Papua New Guinea earthquake
Magnitude: 7
Casualties: 2,700
The tsunami displaced over 10,000 people and was one of the deadliest tsunami's of that 20th century. -
2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami
Magnitude: 8.1
Casualties: 192
This took place in part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates in the Earth's lithosphere meet and earthquakes and volcanic activity are common. -
2010 Chile earthquake
Magnitude: 8.8
Casualties: 525
120,000 homes and 4,500 schools were destroyed. 30 billion in damages. -
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
Magnitude: 9.1
Casualties: 19,750
This was one of the costliest disasters at 235 billion dollars in damages. The tsunami reached speeds of 430 miles per hour. -
Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami
Magnitude: 7.5
Casualties: 4,340
This displaced over 170,000 people -
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami (Sumatra, Indonesia)
Magnitude: 9.1
Casualties: 250,000
The high casualty rate was mainly due to the alarms not warning people of the danger. Over 13 billion in damages.