Reanalysis Reveals Tsunami-Spawning Quake to Be Second Largest Known

The death toll from Monday's 8.7 on the Richter scale earthquake near Indonesia reached 1,000 on Wednesday as additional tremors measuring up to 6.4 continued to shake the region, demonstrating the uncertainty and unpredictability of geologic activity. Indeed, scientists are still uncovering details about the devastating earthquake that triggered the deadly tsunami in the vicinity in December. A new analysis published today in the journal Nature indicates that it released more than twice as much energy as previously believed. If the results are confirmed, it would make that earthquake the second largest on record, behind only a 1960 event in Chile.