The five strongest earthquakes ever recorded

Sep, 09, 2023
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Authored by: thestructuralengineer.info

*A 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Morocco last last killing over 800 people. (credits: ndtv.com)*

The following lines describe five of the most devastating earthquakes in history:

The Great Chilean Earthquake (1960), also known as The 1960 Valdivia Earthquake, with a magnitude of 9.5, is the most powerful earthquake ever recorded. It struck Valdivia in southern Chile on May 22, 1960, and triggered a deadly tsunami, resulting in an estimated 5,700 fatalities in Chile alone. The incident left approximately two million people homeless and caused roughly $550 million in damages. The tsunami also claimed lives in Hawaii, the US West Coast and Japan.
The Great Alaska Earthquake (1964), also known as the Prince William Sound Earthquake or the Good Friday Earthquake, is believed to be the second most powerful earthquake, with a magnitude of 9.2. It struck southern Alaska in the United States on March 27, 1964, and caused widespread damage, particularly in Anchorage. Reports indicate that around 115 people lost their lives due to the earthquake.
The Sumatra-Andaman Islands Earthquake (2004), also known as the Indian Ocean Earthquake, occurred off the west coast of Northern Sumatra with a magnitude of 9.1. This quake is considered as the deadliest earthquake in history. The seismic activity triggered a tsunami that claimed the lives of more than 240,000 people in 14 countries across South and Southeast Asia.
The Tohoku Earthquake (2011) struck Japan on March 11, 2011. It was a powerful undersea earthquake located about 130km east of Sendai in the Tohoku region. This earthquake generated a tsunami, unleashing massive waves of up to 40m. The disaster resulted in the deaths of over 15,500 people and left more than 450,000 homeless, as reported by National Geographic.
The Kamchatka Earthquake, Russia (1952) with a magnitude of 9.0, triggered the Kamchatka tsunami on November 4, 1952 in East Russia. The tsunami waves reached heights of up to 50 feet, causing extensive damage in the Kamchatka peninsula and the Kuril Islands and claiming the lives of approximately 15,000 people.