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Lisbon Earthquake, Portugal
Magnitude 9, 20,000 deaths
The Poème sur le désastre de Lisbonne (English title: Poem on the Lisbon Disaster) is a poem in French composed by Voltaire as a response to the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. -
Krakatoa Eruption, Java/Sumatra
Magnitude unknown, 36,000 deaths
This 1883 eruption generated the loudest sound ever reported in history -
Aleutian Earthquake, Alaska
Magnitude 8.1, 160 deaths
It resulted in over $26 million in damage. -
Great Chilean Earthquake, Chile
Magnitude 9.5 61,130 deaths
The quake left about 2 million people homeless. -
Good Friday Earthquake, Alaska
Magnitude 9.2, no deaths
Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. -
Hokkaido Earthquake, Japan
Magnitude 7.8 120 deaths
815 houses were completely destroyed, 1324 half-damaged, and 6395 partially damaged. -
Papua New Guinea Quake, Papua New Guinea
Magnitude 7.1 2100 deaths
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre warned that unusually large waves could reach Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Indonesia, however, it later said the tsunami threat had passed. -
Sumatra Earthquake, Indonesia
Magnitude 9.1 230,000 deaths
Material losses in the Indian Ocean region were $10 billion -
Samoa Earthquake, Samoan Islands
Magnitude 8.1 200 deaths
It was the largest earthquake of 2009. -
Chile Earthquake, Chile
Magnitude 8.8 700 deaths
It was the fifth largest earthquake ever to be recorded by a seismograph and ranks thirteen in the overall list including estimates. -
Tohoku Earthquake, Japan
Magnitude 9.1 20,000 deaths
The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant cooling system was damaged, raising fears of a meltdown