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list of earthquakes
list of earthquakes, An earthquake is a sudden shaking of the ground caused by the passage of seismic waves through Earth’s rocks. Seismic waves are produced when some form of energy stored in Earth’s crust is suddenly released, usually when masses of rock straining against one another suddenly fracture and “slip.” Earthquakes occur most often along geologic faults, narrow zones where rock masses move in relation to one another. This list of significant earthquakes is grouped alphabetically by the continent or region and country in which they occurred.
Africa
- Morocco
Asia
Europe
North America
Oceania (Pacific region)
South America
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.
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