The largest earthquakes in history. The strongest earthquakes in the world

Tectonic processes in the earth's crust almost daily cause underground vibrations in some part of the globe. The most powerful earthquakes are usually associated with strong seismic displacements of the seafloor, causing tsunamis. Earthquakes associated with volcanic eruptions also cause serious consequences. Humanity is unable to prevent strong earthquakes. People have only learned to determine their onset and duration with greater probability, and to build more earthquake-resistant buildings and structures to reduce the amount of damage and human casualties.

Five most destructive earthquakes

Of the huge number of destructive earthquakes known to modern science and history, the following caused horrific damage:

• 1976 Tangshan earthquake
• Ashgabat 1948
• what happened in the Indian Ocean at the end of 2004
• earthquake in Haiti in early 2010
• Sendai earthquake in Japan

The Soviet Union had barely begun to recover from the war when, in October 1948, the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, was struck by a terrible disaster. A magnitude nine earthquake, covering an area of ​​more than a thousand square kilometers, tore the entire city and nearby villages to pieces. Residential buildings were built by poor residents of the city mainly from adobe and were completely destroyed. New government institutions were also completely or partially demolished, since the construction did not take into account experience and calculations to ensure a sufficient level of seismic resistance of buildings.

The number of human victims has not yet been determined, but according to known historical data it exceeded one hundred thousand people. Frightened residents at night mistook the earthquake for the start of a nuclear war and were completely at a loss. All communications and electricity supplies were instantly disabled. Only a day later, doctors, rescuers, and law enforcement officials began to arrive from Moscow and other cities to restore Ashgabat, rescue the wounded, and restore order.

In July 1976, the worst natural disaster of the twentieth century occurred. In the Chinese city of Tangshan, a powerful shock from a depth of twenty-two kilometers destroyed almost all the buildings in the city and over half a million residents in a few seconds.

The aftershock sixteen hours later led to further destruction and numerous casualties. Destruction also hit neighboring Tianjin and reached the outskirts of Beijing, located more than a hundred kilometers from the epicenter of the earthquake. In total, more than five million houses were destroyed. Chinese communist authorities at the time carefully concealed the scale of the incident. These days, his picture is recreated in the heartbreaking Chinese feature film "Tangshan Earthquake", released in 2010.

Before the new year 2005, at a depth of twenty kilometers in the Indian Ocean near the island of Sumatra, a powerful underwater earthquake with a length of more than one thousand kilometers occurred, causing a tsunami of crazy destructive power and engulfing several Asian countries at once. Shifts of the seabed at the epicenter of the earthquake reached a height of 10 meters and caused huge destructive waves on the Indian Ocean coast.

The speed of the waves at the epicenter of the tremors exceeded seven hundred kilometers per hour, gradually weakening as the coast approached. A quarter of an hour later, the ocean waves completely swept away the coastal settlements on Simeulue and Sumatra; it took them a little more than an hour to destroy the coast of Thailand.

Two hours after the earthquake began, suffering and horror overtook the inhabitants of Sri Lanka and India, and then the tsunami reached the shores of Africa and swept across the entire world's oceans. As a result of this disaster, more than two hundred thousand inhabitants died.

More than one hundred thousand buildings were destroyed in Indonesia alone. In Sri Lanka, an eight-meter wave instantly destroyed a passenger train carrying 1,700 passengers. Residents of Somalia, the Maldives, and Malaysia were also severely affected.

Earthquake in Haiti in early 2010

The international community organized and provided humanitarian and financial assistance to the affected Haitians for several years, restored communications and infrastructure. Doctors from all over the world, including Russia, arrived in Haiti and successfully treated the wounded and sick residents.

At a depth of 32 kilometers in the Pacific Ocean, seventy kilometers from the Japanese island of Honshu, another global catastrophe began in March 2011. Intense tremors lasted several days, a three-meter tsunami destroyed several northern Japanese islands. In some coastal places, waves reached seven meters in height.

Despite the good preparedness of the Japanese for various natural disasters, 28 thousand people died and 15 thousand buildings were destroyed. The scale of the disaster was significantly increased by the location of four nuclear power plants near the earthquake and threatened to develop into a radiation doomsday. Most of the power units were automatically shut down. The civilian population was evacuated throughout all coastal areas of the Pacific Ocean.

Scientific progress and modern technical means allow scientists all over the world to monitor possible zones and locations of new earthquakes, and promptly warn people about the need to quickly leave dangerous nearby areas.

Nature works in mysterious ways. While providing the best conditions for life, it also provides the world with various disasters, probably in order to maintain a 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, leading 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. Happening in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, the earthquake caused a huge tsunami, resulting in thousands of dollars in damage. 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 take preventative 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 at 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 quake, which measured 8.6 on the Richter scale, caused far more deaths and property damage than the one that came later.

It caused a devastating tsunami, which killed about 300 thousand people in the countries of 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 shaking was felt only in some parts of New America, but the resulting tsunami traveled to 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. The total amount of damage is $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

This list shows the strongest earthquakes (on the Richter scale - magnitude) in the history of observation.

Assam, Tibet

1950, magnitude 8.6, epicenter Tibet

The earthquake caused very strong landslides that blocked entire rivers. At that time, approximately 1,500 people died in eastern Tibet and Assam in India alone.

North Sumatra, Indonesia

The earthquake killed more than 100 people and left hundreds with varying degrees of injury, mostly on the island of Nias in the eastern Indian Ocean. This is the second largest earthquake to hit the island. A couple of months earlier, there was another one here, ranking third on the list of the strongest earthquakes in the world.

Rat Islands, Alaska

1965, magnitude 8.7

A powerful earthquake caused a tsunami reaching a height of 10 meters. But despite its strength, the earthquake did not bring dire consequences, mainly due to the remoteness of the islands and the fact that these islands are uninhabited. Tsunamis were recorded in Hawaii and even Japan.

coast of Ecuador, Colombia

1906, magnitude 8.8

The earthquake caused a giant tsunami that killed approximately 1,500 people. The tsunami reached the shores of Central America, San Francisco and Japan.

Maule Region, Chile

More than 500 people became victims of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami, and 800,000 people were left homeless. In total, more than 1.8 million people were affected by the earthquake, and the damage caused exceeded $30 billion. The earthquake occurred at the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates at a depth of 35 km.

Kamchatka, Russia (USSR)

The first scientifically recorded earthquake with a whopping 9 points on the Richter scale was recorded precisely on the eastern coast of Kamchatka, in the Pacific Ocean at approximately 5 o'clock in the morning. As a result of the earthquake, a tsunami (15–18 meters high) was formed, which destroyed the city of Severo-Kurilsk. Then 2,336 people died.

east coast of Japan

in 2011, magnitude 9

March 11, 2011 is a sad date for Japan. An earthquake that occurred in the western Pacific Ocean generated a tsunami 130 km east of the city of Sendai, which killed 29,000 people and damaged several nuclear reactors.

west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia

The third strongest earthquake occurred underwater in the Indian Ocean. It caused a giant tsunami, considered the deadliest natural disaster in modern history. The tsunami reached 14 countries, mainly in Southeast Asia and East Africa. Then, according to various estimates, from 225 to 300 thousand people died (the exact figure is unknown, as many people were carried away into the ocean), another 1,700,000 were left without a roof.

Great Alaska earthquake, USA

The earthquake and subsequent tsunami took the lives of about 130 people. And economic losses amounted to approximately $311 million. This terrible event occurred on Good Friday.

The strongest earthquake in the history of observation had a magnitude of 9.5, creating a destructive tsunami, waves that reached 10 meters in height. Then 5,700 people died in Chile, 61 people in Hawaii and 130 in Japan. The damage to 1960 prices was approximately half a billion dollars.

It seems that natural disasters happen once every hundred years, and our vacation in one or another exotic country lasts only a few days.

Frequency of earthquakes of different magnitudes in the world per year

• 1 earthquake with a magnitude of 8.0 or higher
• 10 – with a magnitude of 7.0 – 7.9 points
• 100 – with a magnitude of 6.0 – 6.9 points
• 1000 - with a magnitude of 5.0 - 5.9 points

Earthquake intensity scale

Mexico City, Mexico

One of the world's most populous cities is known for its insecurity. In the 20th century, this part of Mexico felt the force of more than forty earthquakes, the magnitude of which exceeded 7 points on the Richter scale. In addition, the soil under the city is saturated with water, which makes high-rise buildings vulnerable in the event of natural disasters.

The most destructive earthquakes occurred in 1985, when about 10,000 people died. In 2012, the epicenter of the earthquake was in the southeastern part of Mexico, but vibrations were well felt in Mexico City and Guatemala, about 200 houses were destroyed.

The years 2013 and 2014 were also marked by high seismic activity in different parts of the country. Despite all this, Mexico City is still attractive to tourists due to its picturesque landscapes and numerous monuments of ancient culture.

Concepcion, Chile

Chile's second largest city, Concepción, located in the heart of the country near Santiago, regularly falls victim to tremors. In 1960, the famous Great Chilean earthquake with the highest magnitude in history, magnitude 9.5, destroyed this popular Chilean resort, as well as Valdivia, Puerto Montt, etc.

In 2010, the epicenter was again located near Concepción, about one and a half thousand houses were destroyed, and in 2013 the outbreak sank to a depth of 10 km off the coast of central Chile (magnitude 6.6 points). However, today Concepcion does not lose popularity among both seismologists and tourists.

Interestingly, the elements have haunted Concepcion for a long time. At the beginning of its history, it was located in Penko, but due to a series of destructive tsunamis in 1570, 1657, 1687, 1730, the city was moved just south of its previous location.

Ambato, Ecuador

Today, Ambato attracts travelers with its mild climate, beautiful landscapes, parks and gardens, and massive fruit and vegetable fairs. Ancient buildings from the colonial era are intricately combined here with new buildings.

Several times this young city, located in central Ecuador, two and a half hours from the capital Quito, was destroyed by earthquakes. The most powerful tremors were in 1949, which leveled many buildings and claimed more than 5,000 lives.

Recently, seismic activity in Ecuador has continued: in 2010, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 occurred southeast of the capital and was felt throughout the country; in 2014, the epicenter moved to the Pacific coast of Colombia and Ecuador, however, in these two cases there were no casualties .

Los Angeles, USA

Predicting destructive earthquakes in Southern California is a favorite pastime of geological survey specialists. The fears are fair: the seismic activity in this area is associated with the San Andreas Fault, which runs along the Pacific coast across the state.

History remembers the powerful earthquake of 1906, which claimed 1,500 lives. In 2014, the sun twice survived tremors (magnitude 6.9 and 5.1), which affected the city with minor destruction of houses and severe headaches for residents.

True, no matter how much seismologists frighten with their warnings, the “city of angels” Los Angeles is always full of visitors, and the tourist infrastructure here is incredibly developed.

Tokyo, Japan

It is no coincidence that a Japanese proverb says: “Earthquakes, fires and father are the most terrible punishments.” As you know, Japan is located at the junction of two tectonic layers, the friction of which often causes both small and extremely destructive tremors.

For example, in 2011, the Sendai earthquake and tsunami near the island of Honshu (magnitude 9) led to the death of more than 15,000 Japanese. At the same time, Tokyo residents have already become accustomed to the fact that several minor earthquakes occur every year. Regular fluctuations only impress visitors.

Despite the fact that most buildings in the capital were built taking into account possible shocks, residents are defenseless in the face of powerful disasters.

Repeatedly throughout its history, Tokyo disappeared from the face of the earth and was rebuilt again. The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 turned the city into ruins, and 20 years later, rebuilt, it was destroyed by large-scale bombing by American air forces.

Wellington, New Zealand

The capital of New Zealand, Wellington, seems to be created for tourists: it has many cozy parks and squares, miniature bridges and tunnels, architectural monuments and unusual museums. People come here to take part in the grandiose Summer City Program festivals and admire the panoramas that became the film set for the Hollywood trilogy The Lord of the Rings.

Meanwhile, the city was and remains a seismically active zone, experiencing tremors of varying strength from year to year. In 2013, just 60 kilometers away, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck, causing power outages in many parts of the country.

In 2014, Wellington residents felt tremors in the northern part of the country (magnitude 6.3).

Cebu, Philippines

Earthquakes in the Philippines are a fairly common occurrence, which, of course, does not frighten those who like to lie on the white sand or snorkel in clear sea water. On average, more than 35 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.0-5.9 points and one with a magnitude of 6.0-7.9 occur here per year.

Most of them are echoes of vibrations, the epicenters of which are located deep under water, which creates the danger of a tsunami. The 2013 earthquakes claimed more than 200 lives and caused serious damage in one of the most popular resorts in Cebu and other cities (magnitude 7.2).

Employees of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology are constantly monitoring this seismic zone, trying to predict future disasters.

Sumatra Island, Indonesia

Indonesia is rightfully considered the most seismically active region in the world. The westernmost one in the archipelago has become especially dangerous in recent years. It is located at the site of a powerful tectonic fault, the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire.”

The plate that forms the floor of the Indian Ocean is being squeezed under the Asian plate here as quickly as a human fingernail grows. The accumulated tension is released from time to time in the form of tremors.

Medan is the largest city on the island and the third most populous in the country. Two major earthquakes in 2013 seriously injured more than 300 local residents and damaged nearly 4,000 homes.

Tehran, Iran

Scientists have been predicting a catastrophic earthquake in Iran for a long time - the entire country is located in one of the most seismically active zones in the world. For this reason, the capital Tehran, home to more than 8 million people, was repeatedly planned to be moved.

The city is located on the territory of several seismic faults. An earthquake of magnitude 7 would destroy 90% of Tehran, whose buildings are not designed for such violent elements. In 2003, another Iranian city, Bam, was destroyed by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake.

Today Tehran is familiar to tourists as the largest Asian metropolis with many rich museums and majestic palaces. The climate allows you to visit it at any time of the year, which is not typical for all Iranian cities.

Chengdu, China

Chengdu is an ancient city, the center of the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan. Here they enjoy a comfortable climate, see numerous sights, and become immersed in the unique culture of China. From here they travel along tourist routes to the gorges of the Yangtze River, as well as to Jiuzhaigou, Huanglong and.

Recent events have reduced the number of visitors to the area. In 2013, the province experienced a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0, when more than 2 million people were affected and about 186 thousand houses were damaged.

Residents of Chengdu annually feel the effects of thousands of tremors of varying strength. In recent years, the western part of China has become especially dangerous in terms of seismic activity of the earth.

What to do in case of an earthquake

• If an earthquake catches you on the street, do not go near the eaves and walls of buildings that may fall. Stay away from dams, river valleys and beaches.
• If an earthquake strikes you in a hotel, open the doors to freely leave the building after the first series of tremors.
• During an earthquake, you should not run outside. Many deaths are caused by falling building debris.
• In case of a possible earthquake, it is worth preparing a backpack with everything you need for several days in advance. A first aid kit, drinking water, canned food, crackers, warm clothes, and washing supplies should be at hand.
• As a rule, in countries where earthquakes are a common occurrence, all local cellular operators have a system for alerting customers about an approaching disaster. While on vacation, be careful and observe the reaction of the local population.
• After the first shock there may be a lull. Therefore, all actions after it must be thoughtful and careful.

The history of mankind remembers a lot of cataclysms, the most dangerous of which, for good reason, are earthquakes. The power of such natural incidents is assessed on the Richter scale. We propose to recall the top 10 most powerful earthquakes in the history of the Earth. We are talking about the most devastating seismic hazards that have taken the lives of millions of people. At the same time, humanity still remembers the dates of terrible events, which even modern technology and progress could not avoid. So, let's get started with the review:

TOP 10 most destructive earthquakes

It is worth noting that the strongest earthquakes in the history of the world were recorded in Chile. The last of these occurred in 2010. The power of magnetic influence on the Richter scale is estimated at 8.8 points. The epicenter of the threat was in the city of Bio-Bio Concepción. The residents of this locality and the city of Maule suffered the most. A total of 540 people died in Bio-Bio Concepción. In the territory of the second city, 64 people were injured. Approximately 2 million people were left homeless. In total, damage is estimated at $30 billion.

The tsunami that occurred on January 31 in Ecuador immediately hit the entire coast of Central America. A magnitude of 8.8 was recorded in San Francisco. The first wave even reached Japan. Fortunately, we managed to get by with a minimum number of casualties due to the low population density. According to preliminary estimates, 1,500 people were affected and left without homes. Due to the timely response of rescuers, no fatalities were found. However, the damage is estimated at $1.5 million.

One of the most powerful earthquakes in history is considered to be a seismic shock recorded in 1923 near the island of Oshima. As a result of the incident, nearly three hundred thousand buildings in Tokyo and Yokohama were destroyed. Over two days, 356 tremors occurred. As a result, the waves reached a height of 12 meters. The tsunami took the lives of 174 thousand people. About 542 thousand are considered missing. In total, damage is estimated at $4.5 billion.

As a result of this cataclysm, over 820 thousand people died. The number of victims is considered the most serious incident in history. The disaster went down in history due to its duration. The horror lasted for nearly three days. During this time, the entire component of Shaanxi province was destroyed, including 60% of the population of the locality. The epicenter affected three provinces, including Feinan and Huaxian. A magnetic source was recorded in the Wei Valley. It is difficult to assess the damage due to the time span of the events.

In 2011, a magnitude of 9.1 was recorded on the island of Honshu. The most powerful earthquake in the history of Japan occurred 130 kilometers from the city of Sendai. About 30 minutes later, a powerful tsunami hit the coast of the country, which destroyed 11 nuclear power units in 69 minutes. As a result, 6,000 people died. 2,000 Japanese were missing. In total, the country suffered $36.6 billion in damage. To this day, local residents remember March 11 with horror.

As a result of a powerful earthquake on November 5, 1952, a tsunami reached the city of Severo-Kurilsk. As a result of a seismic phenomenon with a magnitude of 9 points, a powerful tsunami destroyed the entire city. According to rough estimates, the wave took the lives of 2,336 people. At the same time, about 6,000 people are considered missing. The waves reached 18 meters in height. The damage even at that time was $1 million. A total of three waves were observed. The weakest of them reached a height of 15 meters.

On December 26, an underwater earthquake with a scale of 9.3 reached the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The source of the cataclysm was provoked by the most destructive tsunami in human history. Waves of 15 meters destroyed Sri Lanka, southern India and the coast of Indonesia. Even the people of Thailand suffered damage. The tsunami almost completely destroyed the infrastructure of eastern Sri Lanka. According to preliminary estimates, nearly 225 thousand people died. At the same time, another 300 thousand are considered missing. Preliminary estimates put the damage at $10 billion.

This happened in the northern Gulf of Alaska. Power is 9.2 points. The epicenter of the terrible earthquake was recorded 120 kilometers from the western part of Seward. The tremors led to the destruction of Kodiak Island and the city of Valdese. The shock itself killed 9 people. The tsunami killed 190 people. The mortality rate was reduced thanks to the timely detection of the threat. However, California suffered $200 million in damages. Destruction stretched from Canada to California.