Richter
Approximate Magnitude | Approximate TNT for
Seismic Energy Yield | Joule equivalent | Example |
| 0.0 | 15.0 g (0.529 oz) | 63.1 kJ | |
| 0.5 | 84.4 g (2.98 oz) | 355 kJ | Large hand grenade |
| 1.0 | 474 g (1.05 lb) | 2.00 MJ | Construction site blast |
| 1.5 | 2.67 kg (5.88 lb) | 11.2 MJ | World War II conventional bombs |
| 2.0 | 15.0 kg (33.1 lb) | 63.1 MJ | Late World War II conventional bombs |
| 2.5 | 84.4 kg (186 lb) | 355 MJ | World War II blockbuster bomb |
| 3.0 | 474 kg (1.05×103 lb) | 2.00 GJ | Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb |
| 3.5 | 2.67 metric tons | 11.2 GJ | Chernobyl nuclear disaster, 1986 |
| 4.0 | 15.0 metric tons | 63.1 GJ | Small atomic bomb |
| 4.5 | 84.4 metric tons | 355 GJ | |
| 5.0 | 474 metric tons | 2.00 TJ | Seismic yield of Nagasaki atomic bomb (Total yield including air yield 21 kT, 88 TJ)
Lincolnshire earthquake (UK), 2008
Ontario-Quebec earthquake (Canada), 2010[10][11] |
| 5.5 | 2.67 kilotons | 11.2 TJ | Little Skull Mtn. earthquake (Nevada, USA), 1992
Alum Rock earthquake (California, USA), 2007
Chino Hills earthquake (Los Angeles, USA), 2008 |
| 6.0 | 15.0 kilotons | 63.1 TJ | Double Spring Flat earthquake (Nevada, USA), 1994 |
| 6.3 | 42.3 kilotons | 178 TJ | Christchurch earthquake (New Zealand), 2011
Rhodes earthquake (Greece), 2008 |
| 6.4 | 59.7 kilotons | 251 TJ | Kaohsiung earthquake (Taiwan), 2010 |
| 6.5 | 84.4 kilotons | 355 TJ | Caracas earthquake (Venezuela), 1967
Eureka earthquake (California, USA), 2010 |
| 6.6 | 119 kilotons | 501 TJ | San Fernando earthquake (California, USA), 1971 |
| 6.7 | 168 kilotons | 708 TJ | Northridge earthquake (California, USA), 1994 |
| 6.8 | 238 kilotons | 1.00 PJ | Gisborne earthquake (Gisborne, NZ), 2007 |
| 6.9 | 336 kilotons | 1.41 PJ | San Francisco Bay Area earthquake (California, USA), 1989
Pichilemu earthquake (Chile), 2010 |
| 7.0 | 474 kilotons | 2.00 PJ | Java earthquake (Indonesia), 2009
Haiti earthquake, 2010 |
| 7.1 | 670 kilotons | 2.82 PJ | San Juan earthquake (Argentina), 1944
Christchurch earthquake (New Zealand), 2010 |
| 7.2 | 938 kilotons | 3.98 PJ | Vrancea earthquake (Romania), 1977
Baja California earthquake (Mexico), 2010 |
| 7.5 | 2.67 megatons | 11.2 PJ | Kashmir earthquake (Pakistan), 2005
Antofagasta earthquake (Chile), 2007 |
| 7.8 | 7.52 megatons | 31.6 PJ | Tangshan earthquake (China), 1976
Hawke's Bay earthquake (New Zealand), 1931
Luzon earthquake (Philippines), 1990
Sumatra earthquake (Indonesia), 2010
|
| 8.0 | 15.0 megatons | 63.1 PJ | Mino-Owari earthquake (Japan), 1891
San Juan earthquake (Argentina), 1894
San Francisco earthquake (California, USA), 1906
Queen Charlotte Islands earthquake (British Columbia, Canada), 1949
México City earthquake (Mexico), 1985
Gujarat earthquake (India), 2001
Chincha Alta earthquake (Peru), 2007
Sichuan earthquake (China), 2008 |
| 8.1 | 21.2 megatons | 89.1 PJ | Guam earthquake, August 8, 1993[12] |
| 8.35 (approx.) | 50 megatons | 210 PJ | Tsar Bomba - Largest thermonuclear weapon ever tested |
| 8.5 | 84.4 megatons | 355 PJ | Toba eruption 75,000 years ago; among the largest known volcanic events.[13]
Sumatra earthquake (Indonesia), 2007 |
| 8.7 | 168 megatons | 708 PJ | Sumatra earthquake (Indonesia), 2005
1883 eruption of Krakatoa |
| 8.8 | 238 megatons | 1.00 EJ | Chile earthquake, 2010 |
| 8.9 | 336 megatons | 1.41 EJ | Sendai earthquake (Japan), 2011 |
| 9.0 | 474 megatons | 2.00 EJ | Lisbon Earthquake (Portugal), All Saints Day, 1755 |
| 9.2 | 946 megatons | 3.98 EJ | Anchorage earthquake (Alaska, USA), 1964 |
| 9.3 | 1.34 gigatons | 5.62 EJ | Indian Ocean earthquake, 2004 |
| 9.5 | 2.67 gigatons | 11.2 EJ | Valdivia earthquake (Chile), 1960 |
| 10.0 | 15.0 gigatons | 63.1 EJ | Never recorded by humans |
