Earthquake survivors are overwhelmed by the most mythological images. Swiss psychologist K.G. Jung, who survived a fairly strong earthquake, wrote that it seemed to him that he was on the back of a giant monster that was shaking its skin. After reading these lines, I thought about what earthquakes were the strongest in human history. I dug around on the Internet and found it.
Here is a scale that measures the strength of an earthquake.
– 1 point – Not felt. Marked only by seismic instruments.
– 2 points – Very weak tremors. Marked by seismic instruments. It is felt only by certain people who are in a state of complete peace in the upper floors of buildings, and by very sensitive pets.
– 3 points – Weak. It is felt only inside some buildings, like a shock from a truck.
– 4 points – Moderate. Recognized by slight rattling and vibration of objects, dishes and window glass, creaking of doors and walls. Inside the building, most people feel the shaking.
– 5 points – Quite strong. Under open air felt by many, inside houses by everyone. General shaking of the building, vibration of furniture. The clock pendulums stop. Cracks in window panes and plaster. Awakening the Sleepers. It can be felt by people outside buildings; thin tree branches are swaying. Doors slam.
– 6 points – Strong. It is felt by everyone. Many people run out into the street in fear. Pictures fall from the walls. Individual pieces of plaster are breaking off.
– 7 points – Very strong. Damage (cracks) in the walls of stone houses. Anti-seismic, as well as wooden and wicker buildings remain unharmed.
– 8 points – Destructive. Cracks on steep slopes and wet soil. Monuments move out of place or topple over. Houses are heavily damaged.
– 9 points – Devastating. Severe damage and destruction of stone houses. Old wooden houses grimace.
– 10 points – Destructive. Cracks in the soil are sometimes up to a meter wide. Landslides and collapses from slopes. Destruction of stone buildings. Curvature of railway rails.
– 11 points – Disaster. Wide cracks in the surface layers of the earth. Numerous landslides and collapses. Stone houses almost completely destroyed. Severe bending and bulging of railway rails.
– 12 points – Severe catastrophe. Changes in the soil reach enormous proportions. Numerous cracks, collapses, landslides. The appearance of waterfalls, dams on lakes, deviation of river flows. Not a single structure can withstand.
The most destructive earthquakes.
Great Chinese earthquake occurred in Shaanxi province on January 23, 1556. It killed an estimated 830,000 people, more than any other earthquake in human history.
Some areas of Shaanxi were completely depopulated, in others about 60% of the population died. This number of victims was due to the fact that most of the population of the province lived in loess caves, which collapsed after the first tremors or were flooded by mudflows.
One of the eyewitnesses subsequently warned his descendants that when the earthquake began, one should not try to get out of the house on Fresh air: “When a bird’s nest falls from a tree, the eggs are often left unharmed.” His words indicate that many died trying to leave their homes.
The foundations of some surviving pagodas have sunk 2 meters underground.
Jamaica earthquake of 1692. About 7.2 on the magnitude scale. Much of the city, known as the "treasury of the West Indies" and "one of the most wicked places on Earth," was flooded by the sea. About 2 thousand people died as a result of the earthquake and tsunami, and about 3 thousand more - from injuries and spreading diseases. Some of the survivors began to loot, and the city became mired in crime. Before the earthquake, the city was home to 6.5 thousand residents in approximately 2 thousand buildings, many of which were one-story brick buildings standing right on the sand. During the shocks, the sand liquefied and buildings with residents “flowed” into the sea. More than twenty ships stationed in the harbor were capsized, and one ship, the frigate "Swan", ended up on the roofs as a result of the tsunami former houses. During the main shock, waves of sand formed - chasms opened and closed, squeezing many people, and after the earthquake ended, the sand hardened and trapped many victims.
The city was partially restored, but after a fire in 1703 and a hurricane in 1722, the inhabitants abandoned it.
Earthquake in Kolkata– 300 thousand dead.
Great Lisbon earthquake occurred on November 1, 1755, at 9:20 am. It left Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, in ruins and was one of the most destructive and deadly earthquakes in history, killing more than 100 thousand people in 6 minutes. The seismic shocks were followed by a fire and a tsunami, which caused especially many troubles due to Lisbon's coastal location.
Ruins of a convent destroyed by an earthquake in Lisbon
Of the 275 thousand people inhabiting the city, more than 90 thousand died. Another 10 thousand died on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco. 85% of the buildings were destroyed, including the famous palaces, libraries, as well as the best examples of characteristic Portuguese architecture of the 16th century. Buildings that were not destroyed by the earthquake fell prey to fire.
The most powerful earthquake in the world of those ever recorded destroyed 1000 lives in August 15, 1950 Assam (India).
The power of the earthquake was so colossal that it caused confusion in the calculations of seismologists. American seismologists decided that it happened in Japan, and Japanese seismologists decided that it happened in America. One way or another, seismologists are unable to say how strong the earthquake was, so they attributed it to a magnitude of 9.
Catastrophic tremors shook the earth for five days, opening holes and closing them again, sending fountains of hot steam and superheated liquid into the sky, swallowing entire villages. Dams were damaged, cities and towns were flooded. Local residents fled from the elements in the trees. According to newspaper reports, one of the women managed to give birth to a child right on the tree.
Villagers in India compared the sound of an approaching earthquake to the tread of a herd of elephants. British manufacturers described its approach as the roar of an express train entering a tunnel.
The relatively small number of victims is due only to the desolation of the area. I can’t imagine at all if—God forbid—such tremors shook populated cities.
Great Kanto Earthquake- a strong earthquake (magnitude 8.3) that occurred on September 1, 1923 in Japan. The name was given to the province of Kanto, which suffered the greatest damage. In the West, it is also called Tokyo or Yokohama, since it almost completely destroyed Tokyo and Yokohama. The earthquake caused the death of several hundred thousand people and caused significant property damage. In terms of the scale of destruction and the number of victims, this earthquake is the most destructive in the history of Japan.
The earthquake covered an area of about 56,000 km². The main destructive impact occurred in the southeastern part of Kanto Province. As a result of the earthquake and subsequent fires, Tokyo, Yokohama, Yokosuka and 8 other smaller cities were practically destroyed. In Tokyo, over 300 thousand buildings (out of a million) were destroyed by fire alone; in Yokohama, 11 thousand buildings were destroyed by tremors and another 59 thousand were burned. Another 11 cities were less seriously affected.
The official death toll is 174 thousand, another 542 thousand are listed as missing, and over a million are left homeless. The total number of victims was about 4 million.
Destroyed Yokohama
Earthquake in Messina (Sicily)– December 28, 1908 - 83,000 people died, the city of Messina was reduced to ruins
This natural disaster, measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale, erupted at 5:20 a.m. on December 28. The sleeping people were taken by surprise, and many died under the rubble of their own houses. Two shocks were recorded: a preliminary, weak one, which lasted approximately 20 seconds, and a main oscillation, which lasted without a break for 30 seconds. The ships sent to help arrived in the disaster area two days later. According to the stories of the sailors, they found it difficult to navigate, as the coastline had changed beyond recognition. In many places, vast areas of land disappeared under water. Surviving townspeople and employees of the local branch of the Red Cross began organizing first aid stations and began collecting the bodies of the dead. Over time, ships came not only from other places in Italy, but also from other countries, including America.
Ashgabat earthquake- an earthquake that occurred on the night of October 5-6, 1948 at 1:14 local time in the city of Ashgabat (Turkmenistan). Considered one of the most destructive earthquakes, the strength in the epicentral region was 9-10 points.
As a result of the earthquake in Ashgabat, 90-98% of all buildings were destroyed. According to various estimates, from 1/2 to 2/3 of the city’s population died (that is, from 60 to 110 thousand people, since information on the number of residents is inaccurate). In 1948, the official Soviet press reported extremely little information, saying only that “the earthquake caused human casualties.” Later, information about the victims was not published in the media at all.
Tangshan earthquake- a natural disaster that occurred in Chinese city Tangshan (Hebei Province) July 28, 1976. The earthquake measured 8.2 magnitude on the Richter scale and is considered the largest natural disaster XX century. According to official data from the PRC, the number of deaths was 242,419, but some estimates reach up to 800 thousand victims. The suspicion that official Chinese data is underestimated is reinforced by the fact that according to them the strength of the earthquake was indicated as only 7.8 points.
At 3:42 local time, the city was destroyed by a strong earthquake, the epicenter of which was at a depth of 22 km. Destruction also occurred in Tianjin and Beijing, located just 140 km to the west. As a result of the earthquake, about 5.3 million houses were destroyed or damaged so much that they could no longer be lived in.
Spitak earthquake (also known as Leninakan earthquake)- catastrophic earthquake(magnitude 7.2), which occurred on December 7, 1988 at 10:41 am Moscow time in northwestern Armenia. As a result of the earthquake, the city of Spitak and 58 villages were completely destroyed; The cities of Leninakan, Stepanavan, Kirovakan and more than 300 others were partially destroyed settlements. At least 25 thousand people died, 514 thousand people were left homeless. In total, the earthquake affected about 40% of the territory of Armenia. Due to the risk of an accident, the Armenian nuclear power plant was shut down. All republics helped the victims former USSR and many countries of the world.
Destroyed Spitak
Underwater earthquake in the Indian Ocean, which occurred on December 26, 2004 at 00:58:53 UTC (07:58:53 local time) caused a tsunami recognized as the deadliest natural disaster in modern history. The magnitude of the earthquake, according to various estimates, ranged from 9.1 to 9.3, this is the second or third largest earthquake in the entire history of observation.
The epicenter of the earthquake was in the Indian Ocean, north of the island of Simeulue, located off the northwestern coast of the island of Sumatra (Indonesia). The tsunami reached the shores of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, southern India, Thailand and other countries. The height of the waves exceeded 15 meters. The tsunami caused enormous destruction and a huge number of deaths, including in Port Elizabeth in South Africa, 6,900 km from the epicenter.
According to various estimates, from 225,000 to 300,000 people died. The USGS puts the death toll at 227,898. The true death toll is unlikely to ever be known because many bodies were washed out to sea.
Earthquake in Haiti 2010 - a major earthquake on the island of Haiti, which occurred on January 12 at 16:53 local time (UTC-5). The epicenter was located 22 km southwest of the capital of the Republic of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, the hypocenter at a depth of 13 km. After the main shock of magnitude 7, many aftershocks were recorded, including 15 with a magnitude greater than 5.
According to official data, as of March 18, 2010, the death toll was 222,570 people, 311 thousand people were injured, and 869 people were missing. Material damage is estimated at 5.6 billion euros.
Port-au-Prince after the earthquake
Earthquake off the east coast of Honshu in Japan occurred on March 11, 2011 at 14:46 local time (8:46 Moscow time). 
The earthquake occurred in the western Pacific Ocean 130 km east of the city of Sendai on the island of Honshu. According to the US Geological Survey, the epicenter was 373 km from Tokyo. The main shock of magnitude 9.0 at 14:46 local time was followed by a series of aftershocks: magnitude 7.0 at 15:06, 7.4 at 15:15 and 7.2 at 15:26 local time. In total, more than four hundred aftershocks with a magnitude of 4.5 or more were recorded after the main shock. (Aftershocks are tremors that continue to shake the earth after the main earthquake).
As American scientists reported, due to the earthquake, the Earth's rotation axis shifted 15 cm towards 139 degrees east longitude. American scientists also reported that the time of day was reduced by 1.6 microseconds. The island of Honshu itself, closest to the epicenter, moved 2.4 meters.
According to official data, the strongest earthquake in 140 years in the history of Japan and the subsequent tsunami claimed the lives of 4.5 thousand people. Japanese authorities reported that the final number of victims could rise to 10 thousand people or even more.
As a result of tremors, the Fukushima nuclear reactor was partially destroyed. At some point, the radiation level around the reactor exceeded the norm by 400 times...
The most affected cities:
Rikuzentakata - almost the entire city in Iwate Prefecture was washed away, about 5 thousand houses went under water
Minamisanriku - 9.5 thousand residents went missing.
Sendai - water flooded an area 10 km from the sea coast. About 650 people are listed as missing.
Yamada - about 7,200 houses went under water.
The disaster modeling company Eqecat estimates that the total damage from earthquakes, tsunamis and fires will be at least $100 billion, including $20 billion in damage to buildings and $40 billion in damage to infrastructure.
A series of earthquakes in Italy led to several hundred casualties. It's a tragedy, but it could have been worse. NV selected the most destructive earthquakes in the history of civilization
How NV, the Italian earthquakes were quite strong - magnitude 6.2 and 4 on the Richter scale. However, unlike popular belief among ordinary people, the strength of the tremors is not always directly related to the number of victims.
A lot depends on how densely populated the region is in which the disaster occurs and what the earthquake resistance of the buildings is.
The last factor played important role in Italian events. In particular, some observers note that the economic damage will be enormous due to the fact that old buildings in many cities in central Italy have simply collapsed like houses of cards. All this will have to be rebuilt.
Sometimes colossal earthquakes resulted in relatively few casualties. As happened in Alaska in 1964, when an earthquake measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale killed 128 people. For example, in the Armenian city of Spitak in 1988, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 led to the death of 25 thousand people.
NV chose 7 underground disasters that took away greatest number human lives.
The most monstrous earthquake in human history. The death toll exceeded 830 thousand people.
No measurements were taken at that time, but, analyzing eyewitness accounts, scientists estimate it to be at least 8 points on the Richter scale. Cracks with a depth of over 20 m opened at the epicenter of the earthquake. Destruction was recorded within a radius of 500 km from the epicenter.
Such a huge number of victims is explained by the high population density, as well as the fact that most people lived in the lungs wooden buildings and caves dug into the hillsides.
An earthquake is unique in nature. It consisted of two shocks of identical strength (7.8 points on the Richter scale). The second followed 16 hours after the first.
In total, 650 thousand people died as a result of the tragedy. The destruction was so monstrous that the government of communist China even agreed to accept help from its sworn capitalist enemies.
227 thousand people died as a result of a powerful earthquake in the Indian Ocean (9.3 points) with a force equivalent to 23 thousand nuclear charges, similar to that that was blown up in Hiroshima.
The monstrous tsunami resulting from the earthquake hit 11 Asian countries. The waves reached 15 m in height.
An earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale led to the death of 200 thousand people and terrible destruction over an area of over 3.8 thousand square meters. km.
Over the next few months, more than 20 thousand people died from the cold, losing their homes in the midst of a harsh winter.
A powerful earthquake (magnitude 7.9) literally wiped out Yokohama and caused enormous destruction in Tokyo.
143 thousand people died, more than 1 million lost their homes. A total of 600 thousand buildings were destroyed (90% of buildings in Yokohama and 40% in Tokyo).
Soviet authorities tried in every possible way to hide the truth about the 1948 cataclysm. Therefore, for many decades in official sources in the number of victims column the figure was indicated as 10 thousand people.
During the era of perestroika, documents were made public, according to which the death toll was 11 (!) times higher.
As a result of a powerful earthquake (7.9 points), Ashgabat turned into ruins in a matter of minutes - almost not a single intact building remained in the city.
The shock, measuring 7 on the Richter scale, and a series of subsequent impacts, some reaching magnitude 4, killed at least 100,000 people. 250 thousand private houses and about 30 thousand government buildings were destroyed.
The cataclysm in Haiti was marked by unprecedented unity with which the developed countries of the world sent assistance to eliminate the consequences of the earthquake. The United States sent an aircraft carrier with food rations and medical supplies to the shores of Haiti. More than 20 countries sent military personnel to Haiti to provide assistance and maintain order in the devastated country.
In this article we have collected the most powerful earthquakes in human history, which became catastrophes on a universal scale.
Every year, experts record about 500,000 tremors. They all have different strength, but only a few of them are really noticeable and cause damage, and a few have a strong destructive force.
1. Chile, May 22, 1960
One of the worst earthquakes occurred in 1960 in Chile. Its magnitude was 9.5. Victims of this natural phenomenon 1,655 people were killed, more than 3,000 were injured of varying degrees of severity, and 2,000,000 were left homeless! Experts estimate that the damage from it amounted to $550,000,000. But besides this, this earthquake caused a tsunami, which reached Hawaiian Islands and killed 61 people.
2. Tien Shan, July 28, 1976
The magnitude of the earthquake in the Tien Shan was 8.2. This terrible incident, according to the official version alone, claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people, and unofficial sources put the figure at 700,000. And this may indeed be true, because during the earthquake, 5.6 million buildings were completely destroyed.
3. Alaska, March 28, 1964
This earthquake caused 131 deaths. Of course, this is not enough when compared with other disasters. But the magnitude of the tremors that day was 9.2, as a result of which almost all buildings were destroyed, and the damage caused amounted to $2,300,000,000 (adjusted for inflation).
4. Chile, February 27, 2010
This yet another devastating earthquake in Chile brought significant damage to the city: millions of destroyed homes, dozens of flooded settlements, broken bridges and highways. But most importantly, approximately 1,000 people died, 1,200 people went missing, and 1.5 million homes were damaged to varying degrees. Its magnitude was 8.8. Chilean authorities estimate the amount of damage to be more than $15,000,000,000.
5. Sumatra, December 26, 2004
The magnitude of the earthquake was 9.1. Mass earthquakes and the subsequent tsunami killed more than 227,000 people. Almost all the houses in the city were leveled to the ground. In addition to the huge number of local residents affected, over 9,000 foreign tourists vacationing in the regions affected by the tsunami were killed or missing.
6. Honshu Island, March 11, 2011
The earthquake that occurred on the island of Honshu shook everything East Coast Japan. In just 6 minutes of a 9-point disaster, more than 100 km of seabed was raised to an 8-meter height and collapsed on the northern islands. Even the Fukushima nuclear power plant was partially damaged, causing a radioactive release. Authorities have officially stated that the number of victims is 15,000. local residents argue that these figures are greatly underestimated.
The earthquake in Neftegorsk had a magnitude of 7.6. It completely destroyed the village in just 17 seconds! 55,400 people lived in the area affected by the disaster. Of these, 2,040 died and 3,197 were left homeless. Neftegorsk did not recover. The affected people were resettled to other settlements.
8. Alma-Ata, January 4, 1911
This earthquake is better known as the Kemin earthquake, since its epicenter was in the valley of the Bolshoy Kemin River. It is the strongest in the history of Kazakhstan. Characteristic feature This catastrophe was due to the long duration of the destructive oscillation phase. As a result, the city of Almaty was almost completely destroyed, and huge relief gaps formed in the river area, total length which amounted to 200 km. In some places, entire houses were buried in the ruptures.
9. Kanto Province, September 1, 1923
This earthquake began on September 1, 1923 and lasted 2 days! In total, during this time, 356 tremors occurred in this province of Japan, the first of which were the strongest - the magnitude reached 8.3 points. Due to the change in the position of the seabed, it caused 12-meter tsunami waves. As a result of numerous tremors, 11,000 buildings were destroyed, fires started and strong wind The fire spread quickly. As a result, another 59 buildings and 360 bridges burned down. The official death toll was 174,000, with another 542,000 people still missing. Over 1,000,000 people were left homeless.
10. Himalayas, August 15, 1950
This earthquake occurred in the highlands of Tibet. Its magnitude was 8.6 points, and the energy corresponded to the force of the explosion 100,000 atomic bombs. The stories of eyewitnesses about this tragedy were terrifying - a deafening roar erupted from the bowels of the earth, underground vibrations caused attacks of seasickness in people, and cars were thrown to a distance of 800 m. One section of the railway track sank 5 m underground. There were 1,530 victims people, but the damage from the disaster amounted to $20,000,000.
11. Haiti, January 12, 2010
The strength of the main shock of this earthquake was 7.1 points, but it was followed by a series of repeated vibrations, the magnitude of which was 5 points or more. This disaster killed 220,000 people and injured 300,000. More than 1,000,000 people lost their homes. Material damage from this disaster is estimated at 5,600,000,000 euros.
12. San Francisco, April 18, 1906
The magnitude of the surface waves of this earthquake was 7.7. The tremors were felt throughout California. The worst thing is that they provoked a huge fire, which destroyed almost the entire center of San Francisco. The list of disaster victims included more than 3,000 people. Half of San Francisco's population lost their homes.
13. Messina, December 28, 1908
This was one of the largest earthquakes in Europe. It struck both Sicily and southern Italy, killing approximately 120,000 people. The main epicenter of the tremors, the city of Messina, was virtually destroyed. This 7.5 magnitude earthquake was accompanied by a tsunami that hit the entire coast. The death toll was more than 150,000 people.
14. Haiyuan Province, December 16, 1920
This earthquake had a magnitude of 7.8. It destroyed almost all houses in the cities of Lanzhou, Taiyuan and Xi'an. More than 230,000 people died. Witnesses claimed that waves from the earthquake were visible even off the coast of Norway.
15. Kobe, January 17, 1995
This is one of the most powerful earthquakes in Japan. Its strength was 7.2 points. A significant part of the population of this densely populated region experienced the destructive force of this disaster. In total, more than 5,000 people were killed and 26,000 were injured. Great amount buildings were leveled to the ground. The American Geological Survey estimated all damage at $200,000,000.
Nature works in mysterious ways. By providing best conditions for life, she also provides the world with various disasters, probably in order to maintain the balance between good and evil. She gives oxygen to breathe and shows her strength through thunderstorms. She shows her kindness, and at the same time, how evil she can be. One way to show your anger is through an earthquake.
Being one of the worst forms of natural disasters, it certainly causes huge losses.
Earthquakes are typically caused by the shifting of tectonic plates located beneath the Earth's surface. When tectonic plates collide, they cause the Earth's surface to vibrate, resulting in earthquakes.
The location where an earthquake occurs is called the epicenter, and the device for measuring the frequency of the earthquake is called a seismometer. The basic principle of a seismometer is to measure the frequency of vibrations caused in a specific location. He prints a zigzag pattern on a piece of paper, and mathematical calculations are used to calculate the value on the Richter scale.
The earth experiences many earthquakes throughout the year. Most of them are quite weak and cannot be felt. Typically their magnitude is less than 4, but some earthquakes are quite strong and can cause enormous destruction. The magnitude of such earthquakes is above 8 points.
The earthquake with the highest recorded magnitude was 9.5. Together with strong vibrations on the Earth's surface, which leads to buildings falling and causing huge losses, earthquakes are the main cause of tsunamis and other natural disasters.
Typically, earthquakes that occur beneath the surface of the sea or ocean are the most common cause of tsunamis. The earthquakes that are considered the most powerful are described below.
Magnitude: 8.6
Date: August 15, 1950
Although known as the Assam Earthquake, the epicenter was in Tibet. About 800 people became victims of the disaster. The earthquake not only affected Assam and the Tibet region, but also caused damage on the outskirts of China.
According to records, 800 people are known to have died, but in reality there were many more. A huge number of people suffered from severe injuries, which is why this earthquake was included in the top ten worst.
Magnitude: 8.6
Date: March 28, 2005
One of the most devastating consequences of an earthquake is that it occurs near water bodies. It causes water to form tides and waves, which leads to another natural disaster called a tsunami.
This is exactly what happened in the Sumatra Islands when the earthquake struck in the popular tourist month of March. Since this is an island state, the earthquake led to the formation of a tsunami and spread across areas all the way to Sri Lanka.
The number of victims as a result of the earthquake was 1,500 people, more than 400 were injured, including victims of the tsunami.
Magnitude: 8.7
Date: April 2, 1965
This earthquake occurred entirely underwater, causing tsunami waves that caused losses. What happened in one of the most beautiful places Earth, the earthquake caused a huge tsunami, causing damage estimated at thousands of dollars. There were no reports of casualties or injuries from the islands, as there is no population in those places.
Magnitude: 8.8
Date: January 31, 1906
Much time has passed since this disaster. The earthquake occurred underwater, resulting in the infamous tsunami. Waves hit the coast of Colombia, the United States, and even the islands of Japan, resulting in a death toll of about 1,500 people.
After this tsunami, various coastal areas began to undertake preventive measures to prevent losses caused by the tsunami.
Magnitude: 8.8
Date: February 27, 2010
One of the worst days in the history of Chile's earthquake-prone zone. More than 500 people died as a result of this earthquake. The tsunami caused by this earthquake added to the effect, displacing hundreds of thousands of people, of whom 50 people are still missing.
The number of wounded people was 12,000. Thus, this earthquake became one of the most powerful in the history of mankind.
Magnitude: 9.0
Date: November 4, 1952
Imagine a wave 9 meters high approaching you with a very high speed! What would you do? Wouldn't you feel helpless! A similar situation occurred in Kamchatka in Russia in 1952, when a huge tsunami caused by an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale left people feeling helpless.
They left their belongings and tried to find a safe place. Fortunately, no one died as a result of the earthquake.
Magnitude: 9.0
Date: March 11, 2011
Who can forget the earthquake that caused the tsunami, as well as the destruction of thermal power units in Japan, which exposed the area to harmful radiation from uranium and thorium? Having occurred just a few years ago, this earthquake is considered one of the most powerful.
Japan is small in size, but the country is rich in knowledge and technology. This earthquake challenged thousands of minds in Japan. Despite suffering from such huge losses, the government and people came together to reduce the impact of such an earthquake and tsunami, and within a short time, they again secured the title of a superpower!
Magnitude: 9.1
Date: December 26, 2004
Having been mentioned twice on the list, it is clear that Sumatra is among the most earthquake-prone areas. Just three months before the earthquake measured 8.6 on the Richter scale, this earthquake took away more lives and caused damage to property than what happened later.
It caused a devastating tsunami, the victims of which were about 300 thousand people in the countries South Africa and South Asia. It is known that after several days of the earthquake, a volcano erupted in Andaman.
Magnitude: 9.2
Date: March 28, 1964
The name speaks for itself! One of the largest earthquakes in history due to its strength. 150 people were killed, and damage was estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars.
The tremor was felt only in parts of New America, but the resulting tsunami traveled across different places, causing enormous damage.
Magnitude: 9.5
Date: May 22, 1960
The lands of Chile can be renamed the Country of Volcanoes, since this is where the maximum number of earthquakes occurs. This is the second time the country's name has been mentioned on this list. This earthquake killed 1,700 people, and the tsunami it caused killed 2 million people.
More than 3,000 people were seriously injured. total amount The damage totals $600 million, which, of course, is not small. The country is trying to take many steps to prevent any losses caused by earthquakes and to some extent these efforts are bearing fruit!
Video about the most powerful earthquakes in the world from ADZI