Richter Scale Day
About Richter Scale Day
When is Richter Scale Day? This holiday is always celebrated on April 26
If you are a little shaky or are experiencing tremors, that’s because today is Richter Scale Day. This April 26 holiday celebrates the birth of the inventor of the Richter Scale. Born on April 26, 1900, American seismologist Charles F. Richter (1900–1985) invented the Richter Scale in 1935.
Earthquakes have been shaking the earth since the dawn of time. They are the result of the movement of the tectonic plates deep underneath the earth. When these plates move or slip along each other, they create immense energy and shock wakes resulting in surface earthquakes and tsunamis. Large earthquakes result in tremendous loss of lives and property.
The Richter Scale measures the amount of energy released by an earthquake by measuring the magnitude or seismic waves produced by an earthquake. The Richter Scale measures range from 0 to 9. On the scale, each increase in number represents an earthquake 10 times more powerful. At 4.5 an earthquake can damage buildings and structures. At 7 on the Richter scale, severe and catastrophic damage can occur.
Deadliest/Strongest Earthquakes
August 24, 70: Mount Vesuvius, Italy erupts, burying Pompeii and Herculaneum. Thousands killed.
January 23, 1556: Shaanxi province, China. Deadliest earthquake in history kills 830,000 people.
April 18, 1906: The famous San Francisco earthquake and fire. 7.8 on the Richter scale.
December 16, 1920: Gansu province, 200,000 killed. 8.6 on the Richter scale.
September 1, 1923: Tokyo and Yokahoma, Japan. 8.3 magnitude earthquake destroys 1/3 of Tokyo and most of Yokohama. Over 140,000 killed.
May 22, 1927: Xining, China: 8.3 magnitude earthquake, approximately 200,000 killed.
May 22, 1960: Strongest earthquake ever recorded, at 9.5 magnitude, occurs off the coast of Chile.
In 1964, Alaskan earthquake measured 8.4.
Feb. 9, 1971 – Sylmar Earthquake measured 6.6 on the Richter scale
Jan 17, 1994 – Northridge Earthquake 6.7
Recent Major Earthquakes
February 6, 2023 – An earthquake hit Turkey and Syria. It measured 7.8 on the Richter Scale. A 7.5 earthquake occurred shortly after and was followed by thousands of aftershocks. Over 48,000 people were killed in Turkey and more than 6,000 in Syria. An estimated 230,000 buildings were destroyed or damaged.
December 26, 2004: An earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia creates the deadliest Tsunami in history. The waves reach numerous Asian and African countries. More than 225,000 were killed, and millions were homeless.
October 2, 2005: In Kashmir, Pakistan, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake kills more than 80,000 people.
How to Celebrate Richter Scale Day
Here are a few ideas on how to celebrate this holiday:
- Learn how the Richter scale works.
- Watch an earthquake disaster movie. May we suggest San Andreas (2015 or Earthquake (1974)?
- Learn more about how and why the earth trembles and shakes.
Today's Quote
“We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.” – – Abraham Lincoln
History and Origin of Richter Scale Day
Our research did not find the creator or the origin of this day. In or original research in the early 200s, we found no historical information about this day except that it was an established holiday.
More April 26 Holidays
Here are more April 26 holidays we are sure you will enjoy:
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