It is estimated that at least 20,000 earthquakes occur every year worldwide due to the movement of tectonic plates, which release vast amounts of energy. Moreover, despite an average of 55 quakes hitting the Earth daily, only 16 or fewer are considered major, with a magnitude of seven or higher on the Richter scale.
It should be mentioned that the Richter scale, that was developed in 1935 by Charles F. Richter, eventually replaced in 1979 by the moment magnitude (Mw) scale, which is more accurate. The first was designed to quantify the size of earthquakes by measuring the seismic waves they produce. Seismic moment is a measure of the total energy released by an earthquake, considering the area of the fault that slipped.
The 11 most significant earthquakes that shook the world are listed below:
Valdivia, Chile. On May 22nd of 1960, the most powerful earthquake recorded worldwide in Valdivia. A 9.5 magnitude quake struck the area resulting in land subsidence, landslides, and a devastating tsunami. In addition, the incident caused the eruption of the Cordón Caulle volcano. At least 5,700 people lost their lives.
Alaska, USA. On March 27th of 1964, a 9.2 earthquake hit Alaska causing extensive damage to the infrastructure of the area. It was the most powerful earthquake recorded in USA history.
Sumatra, Indonesia. On December 26th of 2004, a 9.1 earthquake shook Sumatra, resulting in a massive tsunami that killed approximately 228,000 people across 14 countries. This tsunami is marked as the deadliest natural disaster of the 21st century.
Tohoku, Japan. On March 11th of 2011, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake shook Japan. The earthquake was so strong that it shifted the Earth’s axis and moved Honshu Island 2.4m to the east. Following the quake, a tsunami hit the area causing nuclear disaster at Fukushima and killing at least 22,000 people.
Severo-Kurilsk. On November 4th of 1952, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit Severo-Kurlisk, Russia resulting in a massive 18-meter tsunami that drowned the whole city and killed half of the population.
Chile. On February 27th of 2010, an 8.8 earthquake struck near Concepcion, Chile. It is said that tremors were shaking for three minutes. The quake was so strong that tsunami warnings were issued in 53 countries, and the waves reached as far as Japan and California.
Ecuador. On January 31st of 1906, an 8.8 magnitude quake hit near the coast of Ecuador resulting in a massive tsunami that killed at least 1,500 people in Ecuador and Colombia. The tsunami extended northward to San Francisco on the US west coast and reached Hawaii and Japan to the west within 12 hours.
Rat Island, USA. On February 4th of 1965, an 8.7 magnitude earthquake hit Rat Island, USA, followed by a 10 meters height tsunami in Shemya Island. It should be mentioned that Rat Islands are part of the Aleutian chain and despite the power of the incident minor damage occurred and few casualties were reported.
Assam, India. On August 15th of 1950, an 8.6 earthquake between Assam, India, and Tibet. The collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates caused massive landslides and destruction, resulting in at least 4,800 deaths.
Aleutian Islands. On April 1st of 1946, an earthquake of 8.6 magnitude shook the North Pacific Ocean, USA, near the Aleutian Islands followed by a catastrophic tsunami, that traveled 800km/h across the Pacific Ocean. The tsunami that occurred reached Hawaii in 5 hours, covering 3,900km and killing 159 people. It should be mentioned that even Antarctica, 15,500km away, felt the effects.
Indian Ocean. On April 11th of 2012, an 8.6 magnitude earthquake hit 610km off the coast of Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Despite the magnitude and the panic that followed the earthquake minor damage occurred, while no tsunami followed. It should be noted that this event represents the largest strike-slip earthquake, where tectonic plates move horizontally rather than vertically, reducing the likelihood of tsunamis.
In all major earthquakes, apart from the damages they caused to infrastructure and the resulting casualties, they often triggered tsunamis with even more devastating results.
Sources: sms-tsunami-warning.com, sciencefocus.com, mappr.co, britannica.com, sciencefocus.com
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