In our neighboring country of Mexico to our south, there have been three earthquakes in the last month, which is certainly not a good thing. The greatest earthquake ever was in 1960 in Chile, South America, measuring about 9.4. The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was the most destructive in North America, killing nearly 700 people and leaving the city in ruins. The 1964 earthquake in Alaska was of greater magnitude, and was felt over an area of 500,000 square miles.