Nearly two dozen earthquakes have struck off the coast of Russia, near the Kamchatka Peninsula, in the last 24 hours, according to the United States Geological Survey ( USGS ). The quakes ranged in strength from 4.3 magnitude up to a 6.1 magnitude, which is considered a strong earthquake that could cause damage in populated areas.

Question: I was told an earthquake in Madrid was the strongest ever felt in North America. How is that possible? Answer: I bet are you thinking of Madrid, Spain. The strongest earthquake in North America happened in New Madrid, Mo., in the 1800s.

Texas’ strongest earthquake in history struck around 5:40 a.m. on Aug. 16, 1931. The magnitude 5.8 earthquake was centered about 7.5 miles southwest of Valentine, a small community in Presidio County, between El Paso and Big Bend.

The impact of an earthquake on people and property depends not only on the earthquake's characteristics like magnitude and depth, but also on local soil conditions, which contribute to the so-called "site effect.