Earthquake top 10. The strongest earthquakes in the history of mankind

The strongest earthquakes throughout the history of mankind caused enormous material damage and were the cause of huge amount casualties among the population. The first mention of tremors date back to 2000 BC.
And despite the achievements modern science and the development of technology, no one can still predict exact time when the elements strike, so it often becomes impossible to quickly and timely evacuate people.

Earthquakes are natural disasters that kill the most people, much more than, for example, hurricanes or typhoons.
In this rating, we will talk about the 12 most powerful and destructive earthquakes in the history of mankind.

12. Lisbon

November 1, 1755, in the capital of Portugal, the city of Lisbon, there was a strong earthquake, later called the Great Lisbon Earthquake. It was a terrible coincidence that on November 1, All Saints Day, thousands of residents gathered for mass in the churches of Lisbon. These churches, like other buildings throughout the city, could not withstand the powerful shocks and collapsed, burying thousands of unfortunate people under their rubble.

Then a 6-meter tsunami wave poured into the city, covering the survivors, rushing in panic along the streets of the destroyed Lisbon. The destruction and loss of life was enormous! As a result of the earthquake, which lasted no more than 6 minutes, caused by a tsunami and numerous fires that engulfed the city, at least 80,000 residents of the capital of Portugal died.

Many famous figures and philosophers dealt with this deadly earthquake in their works, for example, Immanuel Kant, who tried to find scientific explanation such a massive tragedy.

11. San Francisco

On April 18, 1906, at 5:12 am, powerful tremors shook the sleeping San Francisco. The force of the shocks was 7.9 points and as a result of a strong earthquake in the city, 80% of the buildings were destroyed.

After the first count of the dead, the authorities reported 400 victims, but later their number increased to 3,000 people. However, the main damage to the city was caused not by the earthquake itself, but by the monstrous fire caused by it. As a result, more than 28,000 buildings were destroyed throughout San Francisco, and property damage amounted to more than $ 400 million at the rate of that time.
Many residents themselves set fire to their dilapidated houses, which were insured against fire, but not against earthquakes.

10. Messina

The largest earthquake in Europe was the earthquake in Sicily and Southern Italy, when on December 28, 1908, as a result of powerful tremors with a force of 7.5 on the Richter scale, according to estimates various experts between 120 and 200,000 people died.
The epicenter of the disaster was the Strait of Messina, located between the Apennine Peninsula and Sicily, the city of Messina suffered the most, where there was practically not a single surviving building left. A huge tsunami wave, caused by tremors and reinforced by an underwater landslide, also brought a lot of destruction.

Documented fact: rescuers were able to pull two malnourished, dehydrated, but alive children from the rubble, 18 days after the disaster! Numerous and extensive destruction was caused primarily by the poor quality of buildings in Messina and other parts of Sicily.

Russian sailors of the imperial fleet provided invaluable assistance to the inhabitants of Messina. The ships as part of the training group sailed the Mediterranean and on the day of the tragedy ended up in the port of Augusta in Sicily. Immediately after the tremors, the sailors organized a rescue operation and thanks to their courageous actions, thousands of residents were saved.

9. Haiyuan

One of the deadliest earthquakes in human history was the devastating earthquake that hit Haiyuan County in Gansu Province on December 16, 1920.
Historians estimate that at least 230,000 people died that day. The force of the tremors was such that entire villages disappeared into the rifts earth's crust, major cities such as Xi'an, Taiyuan and Lanzhou were hit hard. Incredibly, but strong waves formed after the impact of the elements were recorded even in Norway.

Modern researchers believe that the death toll was much higher and totals at least 270,000 people. At that time, it was 59% of the population of Haiyuan County. Several tens of thousands of people died from the cold after their homes were destroyed by the elements.

8. Chile

The earthquake in Chile on May 22, 1960, is considered the strongest earthquake in the history of seismology, the magnitude of the tremors was 9.5 on the Richter scale. The earthquake was so powerful that it caused tsunami waves over 10 meters high, covering not only the coast of Chile, but also causing great damage to the city of Hilo in Hawaii, and some of the waves reached the coast of Japan and the Philippines.

More than 6,000 people died, most of them hit by the tsunami, the destruction was unimaginable. 2 million people were left without housing and shelter, and the amount of damage amounted to more than 500 million dollars. In some areas of Chile, the impact of the tsunami wave was so strong that many houses were blown 3 km inland.

7. Alaska

On March 27, 1964, the most powerful earthquake in American history hit Alaska. The strength of the rumors was 9.2 on the Richter scale and this earthquake became the strongest since the elements struck in Chile in 1960.
129 people died, of which 6 were unfortunate victims of the tremors, the rest were washed away by a huge tsunami wave. Greatest destruction the element caused in Anchorage, and tremors were registered in 47 US states.

6. Kobe

The earthquake in Kobe, Japan on January 16, 1995 was one of the most devastating in history. Tremors with a force of 7.3 began at 05:46 am local time and continued for several days. As a result, more than 6,000 people died, 26,000 were injured.

The damage done to the infrastructure of the city was simply enormous. More than 200,000 buildings were destroyed, 120 out of 150 berths were destroyed in the port of Kobe, and there was no power supply for several days. The total damage from the impact of the elements amounted to about 200 billion dollars, which at that time was 2.5% of Japan's total GDP.

Not only government services rushed to help the affected residents, but also the Japanese mafia - the yakuza, whose members delivered water and food to the victims of the disaster.

5. Sumatra

On December 26, 2004, the strongest tsunami that hit the coasts of Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and other countries was caused by a devastating earthquake measuring 9.1 on the Richter scale. The epicenter of the tremors was in the Indian Ocean, near the island of Simeulue, off the northwestern coast of Sumatra. The earthquake was unusually large, there was a shift of the earth's crust at a distance of 1200 km.

The height of the tsunami waves reached 15-30 meters and, according to various estimates, from 230 to 300,000 people became victims of the disaster, although exact amount the dead cannot be counted. Many people were simply washed away into the ocean.
One of the reasons for this number of victims was the lack of an early warning system in the Indian Ocean, with which it was possible to inform the local population about the approaching tsunami.

4. Kashmir

On October 8, 2005, in the Kashmir region, which is under the control of Pakistan, there was the strongest earthquake in South Asia in the last hundred years. The force of the tremors was 7.6 on the Richter scale, which is comparable to the San Francisco earthquake in 1906.
According to official data, 84,000 people died as a result of the disaster, according to unofficial data, more than 200,000. Rescue work was hampered by the military conflict between Pakistan and India in the region. Many villages and villages were completely wiped off the face of the earth, and the city of Balakot in Pakistan was also completely destroyed. In India, 1300 people became victims of the earthquake.

3. Haiti

On January 12, 2010, an earthquake measuring 7 on the Richter scale struck Haiti. The main blow fell on the capital of the state - the city of Port-au-Prince. The consequences were terrible: almost 3 million people were left homeless, all hospitals and thousands of residential buildings were destroyed. The number of victims was simply enormous, according to various estimates from 160 to 230,000 people.

Criminals who escaped from the prison destroyed by the elements poured into the city, cases of looting, robberies and robberies became frequent on the streets. The material damage from the earthquake is estimated at 5.6 billion dollars.

Despite the fact that many states - Russia, France, Spain, Ukraine, the USA, Canada and dozens of others - provided all possible assistance in eliminating the consequences of the elements of Haiti, more than five years after the earthquake, more than 80,000 people still live in makeshift camps for refugees.
Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and this natural disaster dealt an irreparable blow to the economy and the standard of living of citizens.

2. Earthquake in Japan

On March 11, 2011, the strongest earthquake in Japanese history struck the Tohoku region. The epicenter was located east of the island of Honshu and the strength of the tremors was 9.1 on the Richter scale.
As a result of the disaster, the nuclear power plant in the city of Fukushima was badly damaged and power units at reactors 1, 2, and 3 were destroyed. Many areas became uninhabitable as a result of radioactive radiation.

After underwater tremors, a huge tsunami wave covered the coast and destroyed thousands of administrative and residential buildings. More than 16,000 people died, 2,500 are still considered missing.

The material damage also turned out to be colossal - more than 100 billion dollars. And given that it may take years to completely restore the destroyed infrastructure, the amount of damage can increase several times.

1. Spitak and Leninakan

There are many tragic dates in the history of the USSR, and one of the most famous is the earthquake that shook the Armenian SSR on December 7, 1988. The most powerful tremors in just half a minute almost completely destroyed the northern part of the republic, capturing the territory where more than 1 million inhabitants lived.

The consequences of the disaster were monstrous: the city of Spitak was almost completely wiped off the face of the Earth, Leninakan was badly damaged, more than 300 villages were destroyed and 40% of the industrial capacities of the republic were destroyed. More than 500 thousand Armenians were left homeless, according to various estimates, from 25,000 to 170,000 people died, 17,000 citizens were left disabled.
111 states and all the republics of the USSR provided assistance in the restoration of destroyed Armenia.

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

The frequency of earthquakes of different magnitudes in the world per year

• 1 earthquake with a magnitude of 8 or more
• 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 most densely populated cities in the world is known for its insecurity. In the 20th century, this part of Mexico experienced the force of more than forty earthquakes, the magnitude of which exceeded 7 on the Richter scale. In addition, the soil under the city is saturated with water, which makes high-rise buildings vulnerable to natural disasters.

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

2013 and 2014 were also marked by high seismic activity in different parts of the country. Despite all this, Mexico City is still attractive for 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 becomes a victim of aftershocks. In 1960, the famous Great Chilean earthquake with the highest magnitude in history of 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 focus submerged to a depth of 10 km off the coast of central Chile (magnitude 6.6 points). However, today Concepción does not lose popularity among both seismologists and tourists.

It is interesting that the elements do not give rest to Concepción with long time ago. At the beginning of its history, it was located in Penko, but due to a series of devastating tsunamis in 1570, 1657, 1687, 1730, the city was moved slightly south of its former location.

Ambato, Ecuador

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

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

IN Lately Ecuador's seismic activity persists: in 2010, an earthquake of magnitude 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

Predict destructive earthquakes in Southern California - a favorite pastime of specialists in geological surveys. The fears are justified: the seismic activity of this area is associated with the San Andreas Fault, which runs along the Pacific coast through the state.

History remembers the most powerful earthquake of 1906, which claimed 1500 lives. In 2014, the sunny year managed to survive twice the tremors (magnitude 6.9 and 5.1 points), which affected the city with minor destruction of houses and a severe headache 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 the Japanese proverb says: "Earthquakes, fires and the father are the worst 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 Honshu (magnitude 9) killed more than 15,000 Japanese. At the same time, the people of Tokyo are already accustomed to the fact that several earthquakes of minor magnitude occur every year. Regular fluctuations impress only visitors.

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

Repeatedly in its history, Tokyo has disappeared from the face of the earth and rebuilt again. The great Kanto earthquake of 1923 turned the city into ruins, and after 20 years, rebuilt, it was destroyed by a large-scale bombing by American air forces.

Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, 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 set of the Hollywood trilogy The Lord of the Rings.

Meanwhile, the city was and remains a seismically active zone, year after year experiencing tremors of varying strength. In 2013, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck just 60 kilometers away, 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 in the least frighten those who like to lie on white sand or swim with a mask and snorkel in a transparent sea ​​water. During the year, on average, there are more than 35 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.0-5.9 points and one with a magnitude of 6.0-7.9 points.

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

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

Sumatra Island, Indonesia

Indonesia is considered to be the most seismically active region in the world. especially dangerous for last years managed to become - the most western in the archipelago. It is located in the place of a powerful tectonic fault, the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire".

The plate that forms the bottom of the Indian Ocean "squeezes" under the Asian plate here as fast as a human fingernail grows. The accumulated tension is released from time to time in the form of tremors.

Medan - The largest city on the island and the third most populous in the country. Two strong earthquakes in 2013 severely affected more than 300 local residents, about 4,000 houses were damaged.

Tehran, Iran

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

The city is located on the territory of several seismic faults. Earthquakes of 7 points would destroy 90% of Tehran, whose buildings are not designed for such violence of the elements. In 2003, another Iranian city of Bam was turned into ruins 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 - ancient city, the center of southwestern China's Sichuan province. Here they enjoy a comfortable climate, see numerous sights, and become imbued with the original culture of China. From here they get 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 these parts. In 2013, the province experienced a powerful earthquake of magnitude 7, when more than 2 million people were affected and about 186,000 houses were damaged.

Residents of Chengdu annually feel the effect of thousands of tremors of varying strength. In recent years West Side China has become especially dangerous in terms of seismic activity of the earth.

What to do in case of an earthquake

• If an earthquake caught you outside, stay away from the eaves and walls of buildings that could fall. Stay away from dams, river valleys and beaches.
• If an earthquake caught you in a hotel, open the doors so that you can safely leave the building after the first series of aftershocks.
• During an earthquake, you can not run out into the street. Many deaths are caused by falling debris from buildings.
• In case of a possible earthquake, it is worth preparing a backpack with everything you need for a few days in advance. Have a first aid kit on hand drinking water, canned food, crackers, warm clothes, washing accessories.
• As a rule, in countries where earthquakes are frequent, all local cellular operators have a system for alerting customers about an approaching disaster. On vacation, be careful, watch the reaction of the local population.
• After the first push, there may be a lull. Therefore, all actions after it should be thoughtful and cautious.

Everyone good day, I am very happy to welcome those who are interested not only in games or shopping, but also in world problems. It is about the problems associated with cataclysms that I wanted to talk about today.

World catastrophes, one way or another, affect the life of every person on the planet. And it does not matter in which part of the earth an earthquake, flood or volcanic eruption occurred. Some people always suffer, while others sympathize and try to help.

Unfortunately, scientists cannot fully understand how to predict a terrible event. Take, for example, an earthquake. This is extremely dangerous phenomenon nature that cannot be predicted. The calculation of scientists made it possible to learn about future tremors of the earth's surface only a few hours before they begin.

But even here there may be a danger in the calculations, because the earthquake can be much stronger than predicted. Animals are the most effective predictor of impending disaster. Many say that animals are closer to the earth and more connected to it. So love your pets and they can save your life.

The danger of earth tremors lies in wait for those residents whose homes are located in mountainous areas. After all, the mountains are a kind of scars in the places of the fault titanic plates. Fortunately, most earthquakes take place at the bottom of the oceans, but this also poses a danger to coastal areas of residence. It is almost impossible to escape from the strongest tsunami.

The strongest earthquake in the history of mankind: the tragedy in Chile

The most powerful earthquake in the history of mankind occurred precisely off the Pacific coast and practically destroyed Chile in 1960. According to various sources, the strength of the shocks on the ocean floor at the epicenter was about 10 points. It is worth looking at the consequences of the wave that demolished large coastal cities almost to the ground.

The tsunami that covered Chile destroyed not only residential areas, but also industry, everything had to be rebuilt. At that time, it cost more than 400 billion dollars.

The strongest earthquakes in the world on the Richter scale: top 5

It is impossible to predict where the next earthquake will occur. How many people will get hurt. It is only known that over the last hundred years the number of the strongest catastrophes in the history of mankind has increased.

List of known largest earthquakes:

• One of the largest inland earthquakes is the Kemin earthquake. It took place in Kazakhstan in 1911, then, with an amplitude of 9 points, it almost completely collapsed Almaty city.
• The next most destructive earthquake, after the Chilean one, happened in Alaska in 1964. Due to the low population density in this part of the world, there were only 9 people affected by the shocks of 9.5 balls, plus 190 drowned. But because of the huge wave, the coasts of Canada, Japan and California were seriously affected.
• In 1952, a 9-magnitude earthquake took place off the coast of Kamchatka. And the risen giant wave with a height of 17 meters demolished Severo-Kurilsk almost completely, a third of the inhabitants of the city and nearby settlements died as a result.
• The Indian tsunami that drowned most of the coastal cities of Indonesia, Thailand, southern India and Sri Lanka in 2004. Earth tremors began near the island Sumatra. Then the disaster took the lives of more than 300 thousand people.
• But most catastrophic earthquake counts Japanese. Although it took place quite recently in 2011, it brought not only destruction to their country. The tsunami that caused damage to the Fukushima nuclear power plant was the result of the earth tremors. Echoes of that catastrophe are still heard today. And the radioactive cloud hung over the ocean for a long time, and the whole world watched its movement with bated breath.

Is it possible to prepare for underground unrest? Can you predict what the consequences will be? Is there salvation and where to look for it?

A lot of questions arise in a person when he thinks about it. The problem of today's man is not that he is not ready for disasters, he just does not think about them. After watching TV and sympathizing with the victims, we forget about everything. We do not think that our country is also located at the intersection of titanic plate faults, and in Russia, as nowhere else, the probability of earthquakes is high.

Some theory about earthquakes

Due to modern scientific achievements scientists have suggested that tremors occur almost every day in the world. We do not feel most of them, due to the great depth of the epicenter or its small strength.

A person will feel shocks or a wave only starting from 3 balls, before that the force is so weak that only devices can catch the impulse. Some believe that there are many more earthquakes during the full moon.

The causes of underground unrest can be not only natural, but also caused by man. Regular weapons testing or mining disrupts the landscape and structure of the earth's surface. The most dangerous human impact is mountainous terrain adjustments. As you know, this is where most earthquakes occur.

Only it is difficult for people to prove that they are wrong and they need to change their way of life so that after us the descendants live in peace for more than one thousand years.

World wars and human cruelty towards brothers lead to the fact that cataclysms began to occur more and more often. After all, the earth is also a living and intelligent organism ...

Imagine yourself in her place, not only do they constantly pump out oil, extract metals, they also fight, destroying not only people, but also environment, poisoning with lead and burning thousands of kilometers of land.

As a result, the soil dies, and with it all the plants. There are so many beautiful things in the world, is it possible that a person will never grow up. A rational being cannot treat nature so disrespectfully.

How to behave during an earthquake

The rules of conduct during earthly talk, each of us went through at school. Even regular training alarms are preparation both physically and psychologically.

How can you react a common person when does an earthquake start? The first is fear, and it’s good if you pull yourself together quickly enough, orient yourself and go to a safe distance from the surrounding buildings, which can collapse if the shocks are strong.

But when panic sets in, most often it occurs in office buildings where workers are under stress every day. And then a catastrophe happened, running around instead of a constructive evacuation begins.

At the first shocks, it is worth hiding under the table, then when a wall or ceiling collapses, you will suffer less, and it will be easier for rescuers to find. If you decide to leave the building, then you should do it at the first shocks until they become stronger or the surrounding objects begin to fall.

Try to stay along walls without windows. When shaking, glass cracks in the first place and you can get hurt badly. As soon as you get out of the building, move to a safe distance. You should not drive a car, due to electronics, the car can simply be blocked, and you along with it.

If you live in an earthquake-prone area, then you should prepare a bag or backpack with the essentials for the first time. You can also put documents and some money there. This is convenient in a critical situation, you can immediately grab and run out of a dangerous room.

12 points on the Richter scale: adventure project "On the Edge" and learn a lot of new things! See you soon!

Text - agent Q.

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This terrible event took place, now known as the strongest earthquake in history, not at all in Japan or China, where such natural disasters so often occur today, but in India.

It happened the strongest earthquake in history in 1950 in Assam, an Indian state in the east of the country. The strength of the earth tremors that began then was so high that special instruments could not fix them, because. all the sensors just went off scale. After the earthquake ended, causing huge losses to the city and leaving behind terrible ruins throughout the area, this cataclysm was officially assigned a force of nine on the Richter scale. However, everyone who witnessed this event knows that in reality the aftershocks were much stronger.

I wonder what waves from this the strongest earthquake in the world even reached America. On that day, August 15, very strong, one might say, anomalous earth tremors were recorded in the United States. The researchers decided that a natural disaster was happening in Japan, however, at the same moment a similar story happened in this country. The latter suggested that the earthquake occurs in America, but not closer. As a result, it turned out that such a destructive shaking took place in India. Terrible is not only the magnitude of this calamity, but also its duration. The aftershocks continued continuously for five days, i.e. almost a week. As a result, more than two thousand people lost their homes, and more than a thousand died. All new faults in the earth's crust appeared every day, and thick and hot steam poured out of the cracks. The disaster had a very large-scale effect: dams, dams and other facilities were destroyed.

As a result, this strongest earthquake in history caused damage of 25 million dollars. After that, newspapers described these events: many residents of cities and towns tried to escape in the trees, one woman even had to give birth to a child in this state - high above the ground. The region itself has long been known for the very unstable position of the earth's crust, these places are subject to both earthquakes and floods, which occur constantly as a result of seasonal monsoons. Two more strong cataclysms were recorded earlier - in 1869 and 1897 (more than eight points on the Richter scale).

Despite the rapid development of technology, a person is still vulnerable and defenseless against natural disasters, and one of the worst natural disasters is an earthquake. In the conditions of modern megacities, vulnerability increases even more, but humanity continues to follow the path of urbanization, as if it does not remember or does not learn the lessons of history. People have never really learned how to predict earthquakes. We only know that they can appear even in areas that are traditionally considered earthquake-resistant.

It is also known that the earth is currently entering a phase of high seismic activity. And this fact excites the minds of many people who are able to look ahead. All disaster films are not just fiction, they are like a warning to humanity that history, unfortunately, repeats itself. What is the history of the strongest earthquakes on earth?

The most powerful earthquakes in terms of power and catastrophic consequences in the history of mankind are officially recognized as the great Chilean earthquake (May 22, 1960) and the great Alaska earthquake (March 27, 1964). The first arose 435 km south of the city of Santiago (Chile) and was so powerful that a 10-meter tsunami that arose destroyed the city of Hilo on the Hawaiian Islands, 10,000 km from the epicenter! The tsunami then even reached the shores of Japan. The human victims of that earthquake (officially - 6 thousand people) died, mainly from the tsunami.

Alaska earthquake

Alaska earthquake happened in good friday at a depth of 20,000 m in the north of the Gulf of Alaska. In addition to the destroyed settlements in Alaska and the disfigured terrain, this earthquake led to a shift in the earth's axis and the acceleration of the planet's movement. The most powerful earthquake in Japan in 1923 is considered to be the most powerful on the Richter scale, at the epicenter of which Tokyo and Yokohama were, the force of the shocks reached a maximum of 12 points, about 150 thousand people were affected.

The greatest human casualties

In China, as the most populous state, there was the most powerful earthquake in the world in terms of human casualties. The most devastating to this day is the Shenxi earthquake, which occurred in the middle of the 16th century and claimed the lives of 800,000 people. No less disastrous was the earthquake in northeast China on July 28, 1976, when 650,000 people died and more than 780,000 were injured.

Such terrible consequences were explained by the fact that most of the victims lived in caves that were filled and flooded with mudflows. From the millionth city of Tangshan, only ruins remained, even the trees looked like after a steam rink. This earthquake was preceded by an unusual celestial phenomenon - the heavens seemed to part and sparkle with a bright radiance. The earthquake that occurred on December 26, 2004 in the Indian Ocean (Sumatra) raised a giant tsunami that killed more than 300,000 people.

Chilean earthquake

Image geokitta.blogspot.com

In terms of area coverage, the strongest earthquake in the world occurred in India on August 15, 1960. This earthquake caused a real panic among scientists, because they could not determine either its strength (the instruments simply went off scale, so they officially announced a 9-point element), nor the epicenter. Some seismologists assured him that he was in India, others that he was in the USA, and still others that he was in Japan. In the end, they agreed that the epicenter was in the city of Assami, India.

For a whole week, this city and its environs were shaken by powerful tremors, giant pits formed in the ground, in which many villages disappeared without a trace, here and there giant pillars burst out of the ground hot water and couple. Also, due to the destruction of river dams, many settlements were flooded. But, oddly enough, only 1,000 people were declared dead.

The greatest damage to an individual state

Image - yk24.ru

On December 10, 1988, a 10-point earthquake occurred on the territory of the Armenian SSR, which completely destroyed the city of Spitak and half destroyed the cities of Leninakan and Kirovokan, according to the most modest data, 45 thousand people suffered. The Armenian nuclear power plant was emergency shut down, and in general, this earthquake destroyed 40% of the Armenian economy in a matter of minutes, it was the strongest earthquake in the world in terms of damage to a single country.

The biggest threat to the world

Image - loveopium.ru

March 11, 2011 In Japan, the strongest earthquake in the world in terms of global threat. Due to the destruction at the nuclear power plant, there was a threat of radioactive contamination of the entire world's oceans, at the cost of incredible efforts and human casualties, the catastrophic consequences were minimized, but the radiation leak did occur. After that, Germany completely abandoned the development nuclear power, and in the USA began to actively develop alternative ways energy extraction.