Earthquake Facts – 68 Astonishing Facts About Earthquakes

Earthquake Facts for Kids

The 853 foot high Transamerica pyramid in San Francisco can withstand strong earthquakes.

The Richter scale was invented by the American scientist Charles Richter in 1935.

The Seismograph was invented by the Englishmen John Milne in 1880.

An average of one earthquake with a magnitude of 8.0 or higher occurs every year.

In 1775, the earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal caused the waves on the surface of Scotland’s Loch Ness, more than 1,240 miles (2,000 km) away.

In 1964 the 9.2 magnitude earthquake in Alaska lasted for 4 minutes and dropped streets 20 feet below the ground level and caused flooding on the coast of Hawaii, more than 3,100 miles away.

Gasper De Portola, the Spanish military officer and explorer recorded the first earthquake of California in 1769.

Aristotle was the first person to discover that soft ground shakes more than hard ground.

It is believed that animals can detect earthquakes before it happens.

In 1811, the earthquake in Mississippi caused Mississippi river to flow backwards.