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Browse images and videos related to earthquakes and earthquake hazards.

Images

10 Largest Earthquakes Ever Recorded
10 Largest Earthquakes Ever Recorded (Updated 2025)
10 Largest Earthquakes Ever Recorded (Updated 2025)
10 Largest Earthquakes Ever Recorded (Updated 2025)

10 Largest Earthquakes Ever Recorded (Updated 2025)

#10. MAGNITUDE 8.6 (1950). Arunachal Pradesh, India - Referred to as the Assam-Tibet earthquake, this quake produced intense shaking, triggered sandblows, ground cracks, and large landslides across the region. All told, 780 people died.

10 Largest Earthquakes Ever Recorded (Updated 2025)

#10. MAGNITUDE 8.6 (1950). Arunachal Pradesh, India - Referred to as the Assam-Tibet earthquake, this quake produced intense shaking, triggered sandblows, ground cracks, and large landslides across the region. All told, 780 people died.

ENS icon
ENS icon
ENS icon
ENS icon

This is an icon used for the Earthquake Notification Service product as illustrated on the Earthquake Hazards Program products page.

This is an icon used for the Earthquake Notification Service product as illustrated on the Earthquake Hazards Program products page.

Finite Fault icon
Finite fault icon
Finite fault icon
Finite fault icon

This is an icon used for the Finite Fault product as illustrated on the Earthquake Hazards Program products page.

This is an icon used for the Finite Fault product as illustrated on the Earthquake Hazards Program products page.

ShakeMap icon
ShakeMap icon
ShakeMap icon
ShakeMap icon

This is an icon used for the ShakeMap product as illustrated on the Earthquake Hazards Program products page.

This is an icon used for the ShakeMap product as illustrated on the Earthquake Hazards Program products page.

Did You Feel it? icon
Did You Feel It? icon
Did You Feel It? icon
Did You Feel It? icon

This is an icon used for the Did You Feel It? product as illustrated on the Earthquake Hazards Program products page.

This is an icon used for the Did You Feel It? product as illustrated on the Earthquake Hazards Program products page.

Aftershock Forecast icon
Aftershock Forecast icon
Aftershock Forecast icon
Aftershock Forecast icon

This is an icon used for the Aftershock Forecast product as illustrated on the Earthquake Hazards Program products page.

This is an icon used for the Aftershock Forecast product as illustrated on the Earthquake Hazards Program products page.

Videos

seismic waves emanating from M8.8 Russia quake seismic waves emanating from M8.8 Russia quake
M 8.8 Kamchatka Peninsula Earthquake ShakeMovie
M 8.8 Kamchatka Peninsula Earthquake ShakeMovie

Shakemovie animation showing seismic waves emanating from the magnitude 8.8 Kamchatka Peninsula earthquake.

Shake Movie for M5.2 Julian earthquake Thumbnail Shake Movie for M5.2 Julian earthquake Thumbnail
Shake Movie for M5.2 Julian earthquake
Shake Movie for M5.2 Julian earthquake

Computer simulation of shaking during the April 14, 2025 M5.2 Julian, CA earthquake. As the waves propagate away from the epicenter they interact with different geologic materials, which can slow down and amplify the shaking.

Computer simulation of shaking during the April 14, 2025 M5.2 Julian, CA earthquake. As the waves propagate away from the epicenter they interact with different geologic materials, which can slow down and amplify the shaking.

man in front of a graphic for PAGER man in front of a graphic for PAGER
USGS PAGER during the Magnitude 7.7 2025 Mandalay, Burma (Myanmar) Earthquake
USGS PAGER during the Magnitude 7.7 2025 Mandalay, Burma (Myanmar) Earthquake

Dr. William Yeck is a seismologist with the USGS National Earthquake Information Center. He explains the importance of PAGER during the magnitude 7.7 2025 Mandalay, Burma (Myanmar) Earthquake.

cartoon image of ammonia (NH3) and ammonium (NH4+) cartoon image of ammonia (NH3) and ammonium (NH4+)
Ammonia or Ammonium? What’s the difference?
Ammonia or Ammonium? What’s the difference?

Ammonia or ammonium? What’s the difference? In water, ammonia (NH3) and ammonium (NH4+) exist together in an equilibrium that depends on pH and temperature. As the temperature or pH rise, ammonia (NH3) becomes more abundant. This is important because ammonia is more toxic than ammonium.

Ammonia or ammonium? What’s the difference? In water, ammonia (NH3) and ammonium (NH4+) exist together in an equilibrium that depends on pH and temperature. As the temperature or pH rise, ammonia (NH3) becomes more abundant. This is important because ammonia is more toxic than ammonium.

Explained: The December 5th, 2024 Earthquake

USGS Scientist, Bob deGroot, briefly explains what happened during the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that occurred offshore of Mendocino, CA, on December 5, 2024.

The event occurred in an area called the Triple Junction, where the Pacific, Juan de Fuca, and North American tectonic plates meet.

USGS Scientist, Bob deGroot, briefly explains what happened during the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that occurred offshore of Mendocino, CA, on December 5, 2024.

The event occurred in an area called the Triple Junction, where the Pacific, Juan de Fuca, and North American tectonic plates meet.

Explained: The December 5th, 2024 Earthquake (AD)

USGS Scientist, Bob deGroot, briefly explains what happened during the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that occurred offshore of Mendocino, CA, on December 5, 2024.

The event occurred in an area called the Triple Junction, where the Pacific, Juan de Fuca, and North American tectonic plates meet.

USGS Scientist, Bob deGroot, briefly explains what happened during the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that occurred offshore of Mendocino, CA, on December 5, 2024.

The event occurred in an area called the Triple Junction, where the Pacific, Juan de Fuca, and North American tectonic plates meet.

Audio

Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers Rupture — Where they were
Landers Rupture — Where they were
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers Rupture — Where they were

USGS scientists remember where they were during the 1992 Landers earthquake in Southern California

Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers Rupture — Jonathan Fieldwork
Landers Rupture — Jonathan Fieldwork
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers Rupture — Jonathan Fieldwork

USGS geologist Jonathan Matti recalls fieldwork in the Mojave Desert soon after the 1992 Landers earthquake. 

USGS geologist Jonathan Matti recalls fieldwork in the Mojave Desert soon after the 1992 Landers earthquake. 

Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers Rupture — Sue on what it felt like
Landers Rupture — Sue on what it felt like
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers Rupture — Sue on what it felt like

USGS seismologist Susan Hough recalls what the 1992 Landers earthquake felt like from Pasadena, CA. 

Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers Rupture — Scott on what it looked like
Landers Rupture — Scott on what it looked like
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers Rupture — Scott on what it looked like

USGS field technician Scott Lydeen recalls what the aftermath of the 1992 Landers earthquake looked like.

Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers Rupture — Sue on how monitoring networks evolved
Landers Rupture — Sue on how monitoring networks evolved
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers rupture
Landers Rupture — Sue on how monitoring networks evolved

USGS seismologist Susan Hough described the Southern California Seismic Network and how it was used for the 1992 Landers earthquake.

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