Guest Author - LeeAnn O'Leary

Earthquakes have been recorded in terms of magnitude since 1899. What are the most powerful earthquakes that we know about?

1: 9.2 in Chile in 1960 - 22,000 people killed
2: 9.2 in Alaska in 1964 - 130 people killed
3: 9.0 in Kamchatka in 1952 - 0 known killed
4: 9.0 in Indonesia in 2004 - 135,000 people killed (last reported)
5: 8.7 in Aleutian Islands, Alaska in 1965 - 0 known killed

6: 8.7 in Chile in 1922 - 0 known killed
7: 8.6 in Aleutian Islands, Alaska in 1957 - 0 known killed
8: 8.6 in Himalayas in 1950 - 8,500 people killed
9: 8.6 in Ecuador in 1906 - 500 people killed
10: 8.6 in Kurile Islands in 1963 - 0 known killed

The Indonesian earthquake of 2004 is the only one to appear on the top 10 deadliest earthquake listing.