7.0 Magnitude Earthquakes in 2000
December 08, 2000
Provided by: USGS
Summary authors & editors: Jim Foster
A powerful earthquake, registering a magnitude of 7.2, rocked the central Asian nation of Turkmenistan on December 6. Though damage was likely severe, thus far there have been few reports of casualties. The star on the map above denotes the approximate location (epicenter) of the quake - it occurred near the southeastern coast of the Caspian Sea. More than a dozen 7.0 magnitude (major) earthquakes shook some part of the world during the past 12 months, however, it's not unusual that this many major quakes rattle our old planet in any given year. Most of the action this year has occurred in the western Pacific region. The Turkmenistan quake shook the ground for 2 minutes, and it was felt as far away as Moscow, about 1,200 miles (2,000 km) to the northwest of the epicenter.
Related Links: