Handout for Revelation 8 (4)

Earthquakes

26 recorded earthquakes between 63 AD and 1896 AD

46 major earthquakes recorded between 1900 and 1949

Giving an annual average of 1.08

Between 1950 and 1999 annual average of recorded

Major earthquakes of 1.64

10 major earthquakes recorded from 2000 to 2004

Giving an annual average of 2.5

It is estimated that several million earthquakes occur in the world each year.  Many go undetected because they hit remote areas or have very small magnitudes. 

The National Earthquake Information Centre now locates about 50 earthquakes each day, or about 20,000 a year.

As more and more seismographs are installed in the world, more earthquakes can be and have been located. 

However, the number of large earthquakes (magnitude 6.0 and greater) has stayed relatively constant.

Number of earthquakes of 6.0 or over magnitude worldwide for 2000 – 2008

Located by the US Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Centre

2000     2001   2002   2003   2004     2005     2006    2007    2008

                                                                                                        161      137      140      155      157        151      153      196      152                                                                  

                                                                    Estimated

                                                                    Deaths                        231    21357   1685   33819  228802  82364   6605     712    88069