Today in Earthquake History

Today's Earthquake Fact:
One of man's persistent fears about earthquakes is that the Earth will open and swallow everyone and everything nearby. Shallow crevasses can form during earthquake-induced landslides, lateral spreads, or other types of ground failures. Faults, however, do not open up during an earthquake. Movement occurs along the plane of a fault, not perpendicular to it. If faults opened up, no earthquake would occur because there would be no friction to lock them together.

Year at a Glance

February

Note: All earthquake dates are UTC, not local time.

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February 20 »»

Year	Location	Magnitude	Comment

1968	Aegean Sea	7.25-7.5	40th Anniversary Cape Tripiti, at the southern end of St. Eustratios Island, sustained 20 fatalities and several injuries. Over 500 houses were leveled and 1,951 damaged. Property damage was estimated at $600,000. Moderate property damage was also sustained on nearby Lemnos Island. From United States Earthquakes, 1968.

1976	Cuba region	5.9	The earthquake struck eastern Cuba and reportedly killed one and injured eight in the Pilon-Santiago area. The quake was felt strongly throughout the southeastern part of the island. From Significant Earthquakes of the World 1976 and Earthquake Information Bulletin, Volume 8, Number 4.

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