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Last Updated:July 30, 2025, 09:57 IST
2025 Kamchatka Peninsula earthquake: A look at a few of the strongest earthquakes by magnitude.
The 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on July 30, 2025, is among the 10 largest earthquakes ever recorded. The massive tremors let off a tsunami in the coastal areas of Russia’s Kuril Islands and Japan’s large northern island of Hokkaido. Tsunami alerts have also been triggered in other countries, including the US and New Zealand.
A magnitude 9.5 earthquake hit Biobio, Chile, in 1960. The earthquake was commonly referred to as the Valdivia earthquake or the Great Chilean earthquake, which killed 1,655 people and left 2 million homeless. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
A magnitude 9.2 earthquake hit Alaska, USA, in 1964. It is often referred to as the Great Alaska earthquake, the Prince William Sound earthquake, or the Good Friday earthquake. It claimed the lives of 130 people and caused $2.3 billion in damage. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
A magnitude 9.1 earthquake hit Sumatra, Indonesia, in 2004, and triggered massive tsunamis. The earthquake killed more than 2,80,000 people and displaced 1.1 million across South Asia and East Africa. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
A magnitude 9.1 earthquake hit Tohoku, Japan, in 2011, and killed more than 15,000 people. This earthquake was named the Great Tohoku earthquake and displaced 1,30,000 people. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
A magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit Kamchatka Krai, Russia, in 1952. This was the world’s first recorded magnitude 9 earthquake, and triggered a massive tsunami that struck Hawaii, causing over $1 million in damages. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
A magnitude 8.8 earthquake hit Biobio, Chile, in 2010, killing 523 people and destroying more than 370,000 homes. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
A magnitude 8.8 earthquake hit Esmeraldas, Ecuador, in 1906. This earthquake was referred to as the Ecuador-Colombia earthquake and produced a strong tsunami that killed 1,500 and reached as far north as San Francisco. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
A magnitude 8.7 earthquake hit Alaska, USA, in 1965, and generated a tsunami that was reportedly 35 feet high. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
A magnitude 8.6 earthquake hit Arunachal Pradesh in India in 1950 and claimed the lives of 780 people. Referred to as the Assam-Tibet earthquake, this quake produced intense shaking, triggered sand blows, ground cracks, and large landslides across the region. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
A magnitude 8.6 earthquake hit Sumatra, Indonesia, in 2012 and produced heavy shaking. The casualties from this earthquake were mostly caused by heart attacks. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
