Earthquakes Striking Unusual Places

Earthquakes hit a variety of places all over the world each day. Although most tremors are not noticed by inhabitants, sometimes the quakes are large enough to be felt and may cause destruction or even fatalities.

The Eastern Coast of the United States was rocked Tuesday when a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck Mineral, Va., and could be felt across the Eastern states and in Canada. According to CBS/AP, there has been significant property damage to some historic landmarks, including the Washington Monument and the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. It had been 67 years since the last big earthquake hit the Eastern Coast. Every now and then there is an earthquake somewhere that was not expected by residents or scientists.

In 1138, Syria was devastated by a massive earthquake that is considered one of the deadliest in world history. Though records are difficult to come by, an estimated 230,000 people were killed when the quake hit Aleppo. The castle and the citadel were destroyed, killing those inside. Though Syria does not have trouble with earthquakes currently, the fault system underlying the country is very active every 300 years or so. It is located in the northwestern portion of the country.

In 1918, Puerto Rico was hit by a double whammy. First a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the western coast of the country and then the earthquake triggered a deadly tsunami. Almost 120 people died during the disaster. Point Agujereada and Point Borinquen were the hardest hit and both saw widespread death and destruction. Although Puerto Rico is rarely hit by earthquakes in modern times, there is evidence of a very massive quake hitting the island a long time ago.

Yellowstone National Park, located in Wyoming, has a lot of small earthquakes but rarely sees large ones, as was the experience in 1959. The 7.8 magnitude quake killed over 25 people and caused millions of dollars in damage. The quake triggered a landslide and led to the Red Creek flooding over the dam and into Madison Canyon. Seismic activity was even recorded in Hawaii.

Earthquakes can hit anywhere that has a fault line or volcanic activity, and they can be a scary experience to those who have never been through one before. Since it is difficult to predict where they will hit, the best most people can do is be prepared for general natural disasters and be vigilant over your safety during the quake.


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