Best Earthquake Resource

Earthquakes are among the most destruction natural hazards that Earth's inhabitants face. They strike without warning and can, depending upon their depth and magnitude, cause catastrophic damage and loss of life. Man has no control over earthquakes. As a result, governments and institutions around the globe are left to monitor quake events, assess the damage and strive to learn as much as possible each time they occur. These groups have an enormous online presence, with readily accessible information, that is in some cases virtually real time. People looking for resources about earthquakes on the Internet will find local, regional and global monitoring, current and historical data, as well as a wealth of educational materials.

World

• World-Wide Earthquake Locator: Earthquake information, including current earthquake report and a current world map showing recent quake activity. 
• Rapid Earthquake Viewer: Offers access to seismograph station data from around the world on a clickable map, plus a list of the most recent quakes.
• Earthquake Data: Searchable major earthquakes database, earthquake intensity database search from 1638 to 1985 and significant earthquake search for information on earthquakes dating back to 2150 B.C.
• Canada: Online home of Earthquakes Canada, with lots of information, including historic events, recent quakes and news.
• Middle America: Information from the Middle America Seismograph Consortium, includes an interactive map of participating institutions and a list of seismic station in Middle America.
• British Isles: All about earthquakes in the UK, including monitoring, recent events and FAQs about quakes.
• Europe: Information from the observatories and other facilities for European seismology.
• West Indies: Seismic research in the West Indies, with island profiles, photo gallery and educational materials about earthquakes and volcanoes.
• Australia Seismology: Shows in detail all their field deployments across the country on a clickable map with lots of detail.
• Seismicity in Australia: Site with extensive educational information about earthquakes and their research and monitoring in Australia.
• New Zealand: All about earthquakes in New Zealand from the country's seismograph network, with interactive and text versions of reporting.
• Hong Kong: Internet home of the Hong Kong Observatory, detailing its seismological monitoring and the seismic activity in the area.
• Japan: Earthquake monitoring in Japan, with recent earthquakes map and station information.
• World Earthquake Reconnaissance: Site offering detailed information on earthquakes around the world, includes images, videos and extensive reporting.

United States

• USGS: Earthquake website for the United States Geological Survey, tasked with earthquake monitoring, research and public information dissemination.
• Southern California: Lots of educational materials and earthquake news.
• Northern California: All about what's happening earthquake-wise in northern California, including ShakeMaps and Seismocams.
• Intermountain West: Information here includes earthquakes in the Intermountain West, Utah and the Yellowstone Region.
• Central U.S.: Seismic data from the central United States. Site also has the New Madrid Compendium of information about the 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes.
• Alaska: All about earthquakes in Alaska. Offers recent earthquake information and earthquake preparedness resources.
• Northeastern U.S.: Recent earthquakes in the Northeastern United States, includes map and data sources.
• Arizona: Information about Arizona earthquakes and monitoring, including quake and fault maps of the state.
• Southern Nevada: All about earthquakes in Southern Nevada. Current research, preparedness and a fault map of the Las Vegas Valley.
• Virginia: Seismological Observatory at Virginia Tech offering information about recent and historical earthquakes in Virginia.
• Texas: Earthquake seismology research at the UT Austin Institute for Geophysics. Includes a compendium of Texas earthquakes, current seismograms and reports.
• Earth Images: Images of natural hazards on earth, including volcanoes and earthquakes.
• State Quakes: A list of online state geological surveys.

Magnitude

• Magnitude Scales: What is the Richter Scale? What about the moment magnitude? Answers to these questions and more
• U.S. Earthquakes: From a geology course, includes a U.S. seismic risk map and a comparison of the Richter and Mercalli scales.
• Earthquakes: Educational materials, including a list of earthquake magnitudes and what damage they can cause.
• Richter Scale: Scientific American article about how the Richter scale was developed.
• Documenting Earthquakes: Called A Virtual Exhibit in Six Parts, this presentation includes Part III, Charles Richter and the Earthquake Magnitude Scale.
• Earthquake Magnitude: An essay on magnitude from the British Geological Survey.
• Earthquakes & Seismic Waves: In-depth information about earthquakes, including all about magnitude and intensity of earthquakes.
• Magnitude: What is the Richter magnitude? Short and long answers to those questions.
• Scales: Magnitudes of the Richter Scale and their typical effects.

Education

• Why Earthquakes Happen: What causes earthquakes? Can we cause earthquakes? Facts about earthquakes and why they occur.
• Ring of Fire: Hell's Crust and The Restless Plane, Earthquakes are part of the PBS Savage Earth. Lots of interesting information and graphics.
• UPSeis: All about earthquakes and the science of seismology. Suitable for students as well as adults.
• Faultline: Seismic science at the epicenter, a site that offers information on real time earthquake data, great shakes, quake basics and damage control.
• Earth SC 202: Earthquake notes from a physical geology course. 
• Earthquake Basics: From a geology course at Georgia Perimeter College.
• EarthForce: It's all in the crust. Plate tectonics and earthquake science.
• This Dynamic Planet: Interactive world, Arctic and Antarctic maps of volcanoes, earthquakes, impact craters and plate tectonics.
• National Parks Geology: Plate tectonics in the national parks.
• Earthquake: Visual software for learning about earthquakes.
• Mountain Maker, Earth Shaker: A "Science Odyssey" with great interactive visuals and links to related people and discoveries.
• EPS20: Earthquakes in your backyard: A course in earthquakes and tsunamis, with lecture notes and readings.
• Earthquakes & Volcanoes: A course in geological science at Indiana University.
• Are You Ready?: Educational materials on earthquake preparedness from FEMA.