For example, a magnitude 5.3 is a moderate earthquake, and a 6.3 is a strong earthquake. Because of the logarithmic basis of the scale, each whole number increase in magnitude represents a tenfold increase in measured amplitude as measured on a seismogram.

The Richter and MMS scales measure the energy released by an earthquake; another scale, the Mercalli intensity scale, classifies earthquakes by their effects, from detectable by instruments but not noticeable, to catastrophic.

Approximately 130,000 of these quakes occur annually. 4.0 – 4.9 (Moderate): A moderate earthquake causes a noticeable shaking of indoor items, accompanied by rattling noises. Significant damage is unlikely. There are about 13,000 occurrences globally each year.

A 4.5 magnitude moderate earthquake has shaken the Bas-Saint-Laurent, Gaspésie, and Côte-Nord regions Thursday morning.

Events in this list and shown in red on our real-time earthquake map and list are considered “significant events’, and they are determined by a combination of magnitude, number of Did You Feel It responses, and PAGER alert level.

Below, there are earthquakes listed by period, region or country, year, magnitude, cost, fatalities, and number of scientific studies. The following is a summary list of earthquakes with over approximately 100,000 deaths. [1] .

Biobío, Chile - Commonly referred to as the Valdivia earthquake or Great Chilean earthquake, the largest earthquake ever killed 1,655 people and left 2 million homeless.

Real-time list and interactive map of the most recent earthquakes worldwide. Track magnitude M3.0+ seismic activity as it happens.