CiteThe Largest Earthquakes in the United States
The following table lists the largest earthquakes in the United States on record, according to rank, magnitude, date, and location. The largest earthquake to hit the U.S. was on March 28, 1964, when a 9.2 magnitude quake struck Prince William Sound in Alaska.
| Rank | Magnitude | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 9.2 | March 28, 1964 | Prince William Sound, Alaska1 |
| 2. | 8.8 | March 9, 1957 | Andreanof Islands, Alaska |
| 3. | 8.7 | Feb. 4, 1965 | Rat Islands, Alaska |
| 4. | 8.3 | Nov. 10, 1938 | East of Shumagin Islands, Alaska |
| 8.3 | July 10, 1958 | Lituya Bay, Alaska | |
| 6. | 8.2 | Sept. 10, 1899 | Yakutat Bay, Alaska |
| 8.2 | Sept. 4, 1899 | Near Cape Yakataga, Alaska | |
| 8. | 8.0 | May 7, 1986 | Andreanof Islands, Alaska |
| 9. | 7.9 | Feb. 7, 1812 | New Madrid, Missouri |
| 7.9 | Jan. 9, 1857 | Fort Tejon, California | |
| 7.9 | April 3, 1868 | Ka'u District, Island of Hawaii | |
| 7.9 | Oct. 9, 1900 | Kodiak Island, Alaska | |
| 7.9 | Nov. 30, 1987 | Gulf of Alaska | |
| 7.9 | Nov. 3, 2002 | Central Alaska | |
| 15. | 7.8 | March 26, 1872 | Owens Valley, California |
| 7.8 | Feb. 24, 1892 | Imperial Valley, California | |
| 7.8 | Nov. 17, 2003 | Rat Island, Alaska | |
| 17. | 7.7 | Dec. 16, 1811 | New Madrid, Missouri area |
| 7.7 | April 18, 1906 | San Francisco, California | |
| 7.7 | Oct. 3, 1915 | Pleasant Valley, Nevada | |
| 20. | 7.6 | Jan. 23, 1812 | New Madrid, Missouri |
| 7.6 | June 28, 1992 | Landers, California | |
| 22. | 7.5 | July 21, 1952 | Kern County, California |
| 23. | 7.3 | Nov. 4, 1927 | West of Lompoc, California |
| 7.3 | Dec. 16, 1954 | Dixie Valley, Nevada | |
| 7.3 | Aug. 18, 1959 | Hebgen Lake, Montana | |
| 7.3 | Oct. 28, 1983 | Borah Peak, Idaho |
1. March 28, 03:36:14 UT (March 27, 5:36 P.M. local time)
Source: National Earthquake Information Center, U.S. Geological Survey.
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