http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/10_largest_us.php
Nine of the ten of the US’ largest quakes were in Alaska, most near the Alaska Subduction Zone – where the Pacific plate moves under the North American Plate.
http://www.aeic.alaska.edu/graphics/akseis.gif
The biggest quake occurred in 1964 – 9.2 magnitude. The tsunami from the quake was powerful enough to drive a 2×6 piece of lumber through a truck tire.
This school was completely destroyed.
I though the Cascadia one was down in the Pacific Northwest?
But on the bright side, at least they do not have to worry about hurricanes, right? 😉
Thanks – corrected.
On the topic of earthquakes, does anyone have a clue as to why, over the past year or so, Central Oklahoma has been having several minor quakes? We have been averaging about one a week or so with swarms a couple of time a year. I haven’t been able to dig up a single fact explaining them.
Thanks and Cheers,
Dan
I have a cousin who lived in Anchorage for the 1964 quake. I understand that it qualified as “interesting”.
Oklahoma?
Probably subsidence quakes from pumping out the oil over the last 100 years.