Over its many-thousand-year history, humanity has experienced earthquakes that, in their destructiveness, can be classified as catastrophes on a universal scale. The causes of earthquakes are not fully understood and no one can say with certainty why they occur, where the next catastrophe will be and of what magnitude.
In this article we have collected the strongest earthquakes in human history, measured by magnitude. What you need to know about this value is that it takes into account the amount of energy released during an earthquake and is distributed from 1 to 9.5.
8.2 points
Although the magnitude of the 1976 Tien Shan earthquake was only 8.2, it can rightfully be considered one of the most destructive earthquakes in the history of mankind. According to the official version, this terrible incident claimed the lives of more than 250 thousand people, but according to the unofficial version, the number of deaths is close to 700 thousand and is completely justified, because 5.6 million houses were completely destroyed. The event formed the basis of the film "Catastrophe", directed by Feng Xiaogang.
Earthquake in Portugal in 1755 8.8 points
The earthquake that occurred in Portugal back in 1755 on All Saints' Day belongs to one and h the most powerful and tragic disasters in human history. Just imagine that in just 5 minutes Lisbon was turned into ruins, and almost a hundred thousand people died! But the victims of the earthquake did not end there. The disaster caused a huge fire and tsunami that raged along the coast of Portugal. Overall, the earthquake provoked internal unrest, which led to changes foreign policy countries. This disaster marked the beginning of seismology. The magnitude of the earthquake is estimated at 8.8.
9 points
Another devastating earthquake in Chile occurred in 2010. One of the most destructive and major earthquakes in the history of mankind over the past 50 years has caused maximum damage: thousands of victims, millions of people homeless, dozens of destroyed settlements and cities. The greatest damage occurred in the Chilean regions of Bio-Bio and Maule. This disaster is significant in that the destruction occurred not only because of, but also the earthquake itself caused considerable harm, because its epicenter was on the mainland.
Earthquake in North America in 1700 9 points
In 1700, severe seismic activity in North America altered the coastline. The disaster occurred in the Cascade Mountains, on the border of the United States and Canada and, according to various estimates, was at least 9 points in magnitude. Little is known about the victims of one of the strongest earthquakes in world history. As a result of the disaster, a huge tsunami wave reached the shores of Japan, the destruction of which is mentioned in Japanese literature.
2011 East Coast Japan earthquake 9 points
Just a few years ago, in 2011, the eastern coast of Japan was shaken by the most powerful earthquake in human history. In 6 minutes of a magnitude 9 disaster, more than 100 km of seabed was raised 8 meters in height, and the ensuing tsunami hit the northern islands of Japan. The notorious Fukushima nuclear power plant was partially damaged, which triggered a radioactive release, the consequences of which are still felt today. The number of victims is said to be 15 thousand, but the true numbers are not known.
9 points
It is difficult to surprise residents of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan with tremors - these regions are located in a fault zone of the earth's crust. But the most powerful earthquake in the history of Kazakhstan and all of humanity happened in 1911, when the city of Almaty was almost completely destroyed. The disaster was called the Kemin earthquake, which is recognized as one of the most powerful inland earthquakes of the 20th century. The epicenter of events occurred in the valley of the Bolshoy Kemin River. Huge relief gaps with a total length of 200 km formed in this area. In some places, entire houses that fell into the disaster zone are buried in these gaps.
9 points
Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands are seismically active regions and earthquakes do not surprise them. However, residents still remember the disaster of 1952. One of the most destructive earthquakes that humanity remembers began on November 4 in the Pacific Ocean, 130 km from the coast. Terrible destruction was caused by the tsunami that formed after the earthquake. Three huge waves, the height of the largest reached 20 meters, Severo-Kurilsk was completely destroyed and damage was caused to many settlements. The waves came at intervals of an hour. Residents knew about the first wave and waited out it on the hills, after which they went down to their villages. The second wave, the largest, which no one expected, caused the greatest damage and claimed the lives of more than 2 thousand people.
9.3 points
March 27, 1964 at Good Friday All 47 US states trembled due to the earthquake in Alaska. The epicenter of the disaster occurred in the Gulf of Alaska, where the Pacific and North American plates meet. One of the most powerful natural disasters in human memory, with a magnitude of 9.3, claimed relatively few lives - 9 people died out of 130 victims in Alaska and another 23 lives were taken by the tsunami that followed the tremors. Among the cities, Anchorage, located 120 kilometers from the epicenter of events, was severely damaged. However, destruction swept along coastline from Japan to California.
9.3 points
Just 11 years ago, one of the most, perhaps, the strongest recent earthquakes in human history happened in Indian Ocean. At the very end of 2004, a magnitude 9.3 earthquake several kilometers off the coast of the Indonesian city of Sumatra triggered the formation of a monstrous tsunami that wiped out part of the city from the face of the earth. 15-meter waves caused damage to cities in Sri Lanka, Thailand, South Africa and southern India. No one gives the exact number of victims, but estimates suggest that between 200 and 300 thousand people died, and several million more people were left homeless.
9.5 points
The most powerful earthquake in human history occurred in 1960 in Chile. According to expert estimates, it had a maximum magnitude of 9.5 points. The disaster began in the small town of Valdivia. As a result of the earthquake, a tsunami was formed in the Pacific Ocean, its 10-meter waves raged along the coast, causing damage to settlements located near the sea. The scope of the tsunami reached such proportions that its destructive force was felt by residents of the Hawaiian city of Hilo, 10 thousand kilometers from Valdivia. Giant waves even reached the shores of Japan and the Philippines.
According to the National Earthquake Information Center, working on behalf of the US Geological Survey, the Earth experiences at least one very destructive earthquake every year, the magnitude of which exceeds 8.0, about 18 earthquakes from 7 to 7.9.0, which belong to the category of very strong, 120 strong earthquakes, the magnitude of which reaches 6−6.9 points, approximately 800 moderate tremors from 5 to 5.9 points, just over 6,200 minor earthquakes, magnitude 4−4.9, and approximately 50 thousand weak earthquakes, which have a magnitude of 3 up to 3.9. But in the history of the Earth there have been earthquakes that remain in the history books as the deadliest - they took the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and harmed millions. It is these types of natural disasters that we will talk about today.
Earthquake in Aleppo, Syria, 1138
Earthquake in Syria in 1138- one of the most powerful in history
One of the most powerful earthquakes known to mankind, and the fourth largest in the number of victims (estimated at over 230,000 dead). This earthquake measured 8 on the Richter scale. The earthquake occurred in several stages, covering the territories of modern northern Syria and southwestern Turkey, and later Iran and Azerbaijan. The peak of destruction occurred on October 11, 1138, when Aleppo suffered.
After the earthquake, the population of Aleppo recovered only to early XIX century.
Earthquake in Ganja (now the territory of Azerbaijan), 1139
The strength of this earthquake was 11 points. As a result of the disaster, about 230 thousand people died.A mountain collapsed during an earthquake Kapaz and blocked the bed of the Akhsu River, which ran through it, as a result of which eight lakes were formed, one of which is Lake Goygol . This is the lake in given time located on the territoryGoygol Nature Reserve.
Earthquake in Egypt, 1201
More than 1 million people died in the earthquake in Egypt in 1201
This earthquake is included in the Guinness Book as the most destructive. According to chroniclers, the number of victims was 1 million 100 thousand people. There is an opinion that the figures indicated by historians are far from the truth, and there is a good chance that the facts were exaggerated. However, the disaster was gigantic in scale, which had a huge impact on historical development region.
Earthquake of Gansu and Shaanxi, China, 1556
The Chinese earthquake in 1556 killed 830,000 people
It killed an estimated 830,000 people, more than any other earthquake in human history.At the epicenter of the earthquake, 20-meter holes and cracks opened. The destruction affected areas located 500 km from the epicenter. The huge number of victims was due to the fact that most of the population of the province lived in loess caves that collapsed after the first tremors or were flooded mudflows.
For six months after the earthquake, repeated seismic tremors followed several times a month, but of lesser intensity.
Earthquake in Calcutta, India, 1737
This is the most tragic earthquake in the history of the country.. It claimed the lives of about 300 thousand people.
Great Kanto Earthquake, Japan, 1923
The number of victims of the earthquake in Japan in 1923 was 4 million people.
A strong earthquake of magnitude 8.3 that occurred on September 1, 1923 in Japan. The earthquake caused the death of several hundred thousand people and caused significant material damage to the entire state. In terms of the scale of destruction and the number of victims, it is the most destructive in the history of Japan.The official death toll is 174 thousand, another 542 thousand are listed as missing, and over a million are left homeless. Total number the number of victims was about 4 million.
The material damage suffered by Japan from the Kanto earthquake is estimated at $4.5 billion, which at that time amounted to two of the country's annual budgets.
Earthquake in Chile, 1960
1960 Chile earthquake - one of the strongest in the history of mankind
One of the strongest earthquakes in human history occurred on May 22, 1960 in Chile, the strength of which at the epicenter reached 9.5 points, and the fault was 1000 kilometers. The natural disaster killed 1,655 people, injured 3,000 people, left about 2 million people homeless, and caused half a billion dollars in losses. The tsunami generated by this earthquake reached the coasts of Japan, the Philippines and Hawaii and caused significant damage to coastal communities.
Earthquake in Ashgabat in the Turkmen SSR, 1948
Earthquake in Ashgabat - the most fatal earthquake in the USSR
The most fatal earthquake in the Soviet Union. It consisted of two strong shocks several hours apart. The incident happened on the night of November 5-6. The strength of the natural disaster was approximately 9 points. It took a few seconds for the complete destruction of a population center of 130 thousand. It is still not clear how many people died that night. Approximately the number of deaths is estimated at 160 thousand people, which in total amounts to 80% of the total population of the city and surrounding area.
Indian Ocean earthquake, 2004
An undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean caused a tsunami that was declared the deadliest natural disaster in the world. modern history. The magnitude of the earthquake was, according to various estimates, from 9.1 to 9.3. The destruction affected Port Elizabeth in South Africa, despite the fact that it was located several thousand kilometers from the epicenter. Some coasts had to deal with waves higher than 20 meters. The huge release of energy that accompanied the collision of tectonic plates caused a displacement of Sumatra and its neighboring islands by several tens of meters. According to various estimates, from 225 thousand to 300 thousand people died.
2010 Haiti earthquake
Damage from the 2010 Haiti earthquake is estimated at 5.6 billion euros
After the main shock magnitude 7 many were registered repeated tremors, 15 of them with a magnitude greater than 5.According to official data, as of March 18, 2010, the death toll was 222,570 people, and 311 thousand people were injured. Material damage is estimated at 5.6 billion euros.
Earthquake off the east coast of Hons Island, Japan, 2011
This is the strongest earthquake in known history. history of Japan. The earthquake occurred at a distance of about 70 km from the nearest point on the coast of Japan. Initial estimates showed that the tsunami waves took between 10 and 30 minutes to reach the first affected areas of Japan. In 69 minutesafter the earthquake the tsunami flooded Sendai airport.
The official death toll from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan is 15,892. Damage from the earthquake in Japan is estimated at 16-25 trillion yen ($198-309 billion).
As earthquake statistics show, seismological disasters account for 13% of the total number of natural ones. Over the past hundred years, about 2,000 tremors with a magnitude of 7 or more have occurred in the world. Of these, 65 cases exceeded the 8 mark.
World situation
If you look at a world map on which seismological activity is displayed as dots, you will notice one pattern. These are some characteristic lines along which tremors are intensely recorded. The tectonic boundaries of the earth's crust are located in these zones. Statistics have established that strong catastrophic earthquakes, which entail the most destructive consequences, occur due to tension in the source of “rubbing in” of tectonic plates. 
Earthquake statistics over 100 years show that only on continental tectonic plates(not oceanic) there were about a hundred seismic disasters in which 1.4 million people died. A total of 130 strong earthquakes were recorded during this period.
The table shows the largest known seismic disasters since the 16th century:
| Year | Scene of the incident | Destruction and casualties |
| 1556 | China | The victims were 830 thousand people. According to current estimates, the earthquake can be assigned the highest value - 12 points. |
| 1755 | Lisbon (Portugal) | The city was completely destroyed, 100 thousand inhabitants died |
| 1906 | San Francisco (USA) | Most of the city was destroyed, 1,500 people became victims (7.8 points) |
| 1908 | Messina (Italy) | The destruction claimed 87 thousand. human lives(magnitude 7.5) |
| 1948 | Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) | 175 thousand people died |
| 1960 | Chile | The largest earthquake recorded in the last century. It was rated 9.5 points. Three cities were destroyed. About 10 thousand residents became victims |
| 1976 | Tien Shan (China) | Magnitude 8.2. 242 thousand people died |
| 1988 | Armenia | Several cities and towns were destroyed. More than 25 thousand victims were recorded (7.3 points) |
| 1990 | Iran | About 50 thousand inhabitants died (magnitude 7.4) |
| 2004 | Indian Ocean | The epicenter of the 9.3 magnitude earthquake was at the bottom of the ocean, which killed 250 thousand people |
| 2011 | Japan | An earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1 caused the death of more than 15 thousand people and caused enormous economic and environmental consequences not only for Japan, but for the whole world. |
Over the 30 years of the end of the 20th century, about 1 million people died in seismic disasters. This is approximately 33 thousand per year. Over the past 10 years, earthquake statistics show an increase in the average annual figure to 45 thousand victims. 
Every day hundreds of imperceptible vibrations of the earth's surface occur on the planet. This is not always associated with the movement of the earth's crust. Human actions: construction, mining, blasting - all of them entail vibrations that are recorded by modern seismographs every second. However, since 2009, the USGS geological service, which collects data on earthquake statistics in the world, has stopped taking into account tremors below 4.5 points.
Crete Island
The island is located in a tectonic fault zone, so increased seismological activity there is a frequent occurrence. According to statistics, earthquakes in Crete do not exceed magnitude 5. With such force there are no destructive consequences, but local residents and they don’t pay any attention to this shaking. On the graph you can see the number of registered seismic shocks by month with a magnitude greater than 1 point. You can see that their intensity has increased somewhat in recent years. 
Earthquakes in Italy
The country is located in a zone of seismic activity on the territory of the same tectonic fault as Greece. Earthquake statistics in Italy over the past 5 years show an increase in the number of monthly tremors from 700 to 2000. In August 2016, a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 occurred. That day claimed the lives of 295 people and injured more than 400.
In January 2017, another earthquake with a magnitude of less than 6 occurred in Italy; there were almost no casualties from the destruction. However, the shock was caused in the province of Pescara. The Rigopiano Hotel was buried under it, killing 30 people.
There are resources that display earthquake statistics online. For example, the IRIS organization (USA), which collects, systematizes, studies and distributes seismological data, presents a monitor of this type: 
The website contains information showing the presence of earthquakes on the planet at the moment. Here their magnitude is shown, there is information for yesterday, as well as events from 2 weeks or 5 years ago. You can take a closer look at the areas of the planet you are interested in by selecting the appropriate map from the list.
The situation in Russia
According to earthquake statistics in Russia and the OSR (General Seismic Zoning) map, more than 26% of the country's area is located in seismically hazardous zones. Tremors of magnitude 7 may occur here. This includes Kamchatka, the Baikal region, the Kuril Islands, Altai, North Caucasus and Sayans. There are about 3,000 villages, about 100 thermal power plants and hydroelectric power stations, 5 nuclear power plants and enterprises of increased environmental hazard.
Krasnodar region
The zone contains about 28 districts of the region, with a population of approximately 4 million people. Among them is the large resort city of Sochi - according to earthquake statistics, the last seismic activity above 4 points was registered in the fall of 2016. Kuban is mostly located in the zone of magnitude 8–10 earthquakes (MSK-64 scale). This is the highest seismic hazard index throughout the Russian Federation.
The reason is the resumption of tectonic processes in 1980. Earthquake statistics in Krasnodar region annually records about 250 seismic shocks of more than 2 points. Since 1973, 130 of them have been force 4 or higher. Tremors with a magnitude greater than 6 are recorded once every 5 years, and above 7 - once every 11 years. 
Irkutsk
Due to its location near the Baikal Rift, earthquake statistics for Irkutsk record up to 40 minor tremors every month. In August 2008, seismic activity with a magnitude of 6.2 was recorded. The epicenter was in Lake Baikal, where the indicator reached 7 points. Some buildings were cracked, but no significant damage or casualties were recorded. In February 2016, another earthquake of magnitude 5.5 occurred.
Yekaterinburg
Despite the fact that the growth of the Ural Mountains has long ceased, the statistics of earthquakes in Yekaterinburg continues to be updated with new data. In 2015, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.2 was recorded there, but there were no casualties.
Conclusion
Between the end of 2008 and 2011, there was a decrease in seismic activity on the planet, to a level of less than 2,500 events per month and a magnitude above 4.5. However, after the earthquake in Japan in 2011, between 2011 and 2016 there was a tendency for earthquake activity around the world to almost double. Earthquake statistics for recent years are as follows:
- tremors from 8 points and above – 1 time/year;
- from 7 to 7.9 points – 17 times/year;
- from 6 to 6.9 – 134 times/year;
- from 5 to 5.9 – 1319 times/year.
Predicting earthquakes is very difficult. It is often possible to say with certainty where it will happen, but when exactly it will happen is impossible to determine. However, there are biological precursors. On the eve of a strong earthquake, other representatives of the fauna living in this territory begin to behave abnormally.
Every year, more and more people on the planet turn their attention to natural disasters of various kinds. According to research recent years, The Earth has entered an active phase of tectonic activity - it is well known that throughout its existence, the land topography and the outlines of the continents as a whole have repeatedly undergone various changes. If we take into account the contents of Plato's manuscripts, such semi-mythical great civilizations as Atlantis and Hyperborea disappeared from the face of the earth as a result of the tectonic activity of our planet. For this reason, many of our contemporaries are seriously thinking about the direction in which human civilization should develop so that we do not suffer the same sad fate. Perhaps we should finally understand that the Earth is a kind of gigantic living organism, any interference in the work of which can end very sadly for our world. The bowels of the planet should be used more carefully and economically by people for their own purposes. In this article we will look at the most destructive earthquakes in human history.
1. In the mid-16th century, in the city of Shenxi (China), the most destructive earthquake to date occurred, killing more than 800 thousand people!
2. In 1923, on the first day of autumn - Japanese area Southern Kanto felt the full force and power of the tremors, which, according to some estimates, was about 12 points. In this region there are megacities such as Yokohama and Tokyo. More than 150 thousand people became victims of the disaster.
3. August 15, 1950 year, the most powerful earthquake was recorded in the Indian city of Assami (India), which claimed the lives of “only” 1000 people - the fact is that it was impossible to measure its strength on the Richter scale due to the excessive scale of the instrument’s needles. A short time later, seismologists officially attributed the element to 9 points on the Richter scale. However, it was so powerful that it even sowed a certain panic among scientists - some of them initially believed that the epicenter of the earth's crust was located in Japan, while others believed that it was in the United States.
As for the Indian state of Assam, the situation here was also very ambiguous - for a week in a row, powerful tremors shook the surface of the earth, every now and then forming faults and failures, swallowing entire villages along with their inhabitants without a trace. All this was accompanied by constant emissions of fountains of hot steam and superheated liquid into the sky. As a result of the damage received, many dams could not contain the pressure of the water reserves stored in them - many cities and villages were simply flooded. Fleeing from certain death, residents climbed to the tops of trees, because not everyone knew the main ones. It should be noted that this year it was many times greater than the scale of destruction that was the result of the second most powerful earthquake that took place in these parts in 1897. The victims of the earlier disaster were 1,542 people.
4. 05/22/1960– on the outskirts of the Chilean city of Valdivia in the afternoon, the most powerful officially recorded earthquake occurred. The strength of the tremors of the Great Chilean Earthquake - this is the name given to this natural disaster - was approximately 9.3-9.5 points.
5. March 27, 1964 - in the American part of the Alaska Peninsula, closer to six o’clock local time, something happened that the locals could not even imagine. The force of the tremors was 9.2 on the Richter scale. The epicenter of the disaster was at a depth of 20 kilometers in the northern part of the Gulf of Alaska. According to many scientists, it was this that caused the shift in the axis of rotation of our planet - as a result, its speed increased by 3 microseconds. The Great Chilean and Alaskan disasters are officially considered the most destructive and catastrophic in the history of mankind.
6. The earthquake that took place on July 28, 1976 late at night in the northeastern regions of China is considered the most destructive and terrible in terms of human casualties. Almost instantly, 650 thousand people became its victims - more than 780 thousand were injured and of varying degrees of severity. The strength of the shocks ranged from 7.9 to 8.2 points. The destruction was colossal. The epicenter of the disaster was located directly in Tangshan, a city with a population of millions. After several months, a huge space of ruins with a total area of 20 square kilometers remained on the site of the once flourishing, never-silent city.
According to eyewitnesses, shortly before the first wobble, the skies parted for many kilometers and shone with a bright light. At the end of the first blows, the plants and trees visually looked as if they had felt the effects of a steam roller. Some bushes were even burnt on some sides.
7. 7.12.1988— powerful tremors occurred on the territory of Armenia, the victims of which, according to the most conservative estimates, were 45 thousand people. Overnight, the city of Spitak, located near the epicenter, turned into a vast pile of ruins. Neighboring settlements - Kirovakan and Leninakan - were half destroyed. According to some calculations, the force of the shocks was almost 10 points on the Richter scale!
8. December 26, 2004- in the northwestern region of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, in the Indian Ocean, like a bolt from the blue, earthquakes with a force of 9.1 to 9.3 on the Richter scale arose. This disaster and the accompanying giant tsunami claimed the lives of more than 300 thousand people.
9. May 12-13, 2008– in the Chinese province of Sichuan, an earthquake with a power of 7.9 occurred, killing more than 70 thousand people.
10. March 11, 2011 One of the most powerful earthquakes of recent years occurred in Japan - its strength was estimated at 9 points on the Richter scale. The devastating consequences and the accompanying gigantic tsunami became the direct cause of a serious environmental disaster: cooling systems were damaged nuclear power plant— the world was on the verge of radioactive contamination environment, which, to the deepest, could not be avoided. Albeit on a smaller scale, radiation leakage still occurred.
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10 most destructive earthquakes in history
The earthquake in Chile caused the collapse of 2.5 thousand buildings and partial destruction of urban infrastructure. The magnitude of the earthquake is estimated at 8.2 on the Richter scale.
Six people died from the earthquake, including those who died of heart attacks. Over 900 thousand people were evacuated - all from the coastal, most earthquake-prone areas of the country. Then on Thursday, another magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Chile, followed by about 20 aftershocks.
The history of Chile includes many earthquakes, one of which is considered the most powerful in the entire history of observations.
Great Chilean earthquake
On May 22, 1960, the Chilean city of Valdivia was almost completely destroyed. The disaster, which was later called the “Great Chilean Earthquake,” claimed the lives of about 6 thousand people and made about 2 million people homeless.
Moreover, a large mass of people suffered from a tsunami, the waves of which reached a height of 10 meters and caused significant damage to the city of Hilo in Hawaii, approximately 10 thousand kilometers from the epicenter; the remnants of the tsunami even reached the shores of Japan.
The magnitude of the earthquake, according to various estimates, ranged from 9.3 to 9.5 on the Richter scale. The damage in 1960 prices amounted to about half a billion dollars.
Great Alaska earthquake
On March 27, 1964, the second largest earthquake on record occurred in the northern Gulf of Alaska. The magnitude was 9.1-9.2 on the Richter scale.
The epicenter of the earthquake was in the College Fjord; of the major cities, Anchorage, located 120 km west of the epicenter, was the most affected. Valdez, Seward and Kodiak Island experienced major shoreline changes.
Nine people died directly from the earthquake, but the tsunami also claimed the lives of 190 more people. The waves caused severe damage from Canada to California and Japan.
Such a low number of victims for a disaster of this scale is explained by the low population density in Alaska. The damage in 1965 prices was about $400 million.
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
On December 26, 2004, an undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1 to 9.3 on the Richter scale occurred in the Indian Ocean. This earthquake was the third most powerful on record.
The epicenter of the earthquake was not far from the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The earthquake triggered one of the most destructive tsunamis in history. The height of the waves exceeded 15 meters, they reached the shores of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, southern India, Thailand and several other countries.
The tsunami almost completely destroyed the coastal infrastructure in the east of Sri Lanka and northwest coast Indonesia. According to various estimates, from 225 thousand to 300 thousand people died. Damage from the tsunami amounted to about $10 billion.
Tsunami in Severo-Kurilsk
On November 5, 1952, 130 kilometers from the coast of Kamchatka, an earthquake occurred, the magnitude of which was estimated at 9 points on the Richter scale.
An hour later, a powerful tsunami reached the coast, which destroyed the city of Severo-Kurilsk and caused damage to a number of other settlements. According to official data, 2,336 people died. The population of Severo-Kurilsk before the tragedy was approximately 6 thousand people. Three waves up to 15-18 meters high hit the city. Damage from the tsunami is estimated at $1 million.
Great East Japan Earthquake
On March 11, 2011, an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 to 9.1 on the Richter scale occurred in the east of the island of Honshu, 130 km east of the city of Sendai.
It became one of the strongest earthquakes ever famous story Japan. After 10-30 minutes, the tsunami reached the coast of Japan, and 69 minutes later the waves reached Sendai airport. As a result of the tsunami, about 16 thousand people died, about 6 thousand were injured and 2 thousand went missing.
A significant part of the island lost electricity as the earthquake caused the shutdown of 11 power units at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
Damage from the earthquake and subsequent tsunami is estimated at $14.5-$36.6 billion.
Great Chinese earthquake
On January 23, 1556, an earthquake occurred that killed 830 thousand people, more than any other earthquake in human history. The disaster went down in history as the “Great Chinese Earthquake.”
The epicenter of the earthquake was in the Wei River Valley in Shaanxi Province, near the cities of Huaxian, Weinan and Huanin.
At the epicenter of the earthquake, 20-meter holes and cracks opened. The destruction affected areas 500 km away from the epicenter. Some areas of Shaanxi were completely depopulated; in others, about 60% of the population died.
Great Kanto Earthquake
On September 1, 1923, an earthquake occurred 90 km southwest of Tokyo in the sea near Oshima Island in Sagami Bay, which eventually became known as the Great Kanto Earthquake.
In just two days, 356 tremors occurred, of which the first were the strongest. The earthquake caused a powerful tsunami, waves reaching 12 meters, they hit the coast and destroyed small settlements.
The earthquake also caused fires in major cities such as Tokyo, Yokohama, Yokosuka. Over 300 thousand buildings were destroyed in Tokyo; in Yokohama, 11 thousand buildings were destroyed by tremors. The infrastructure in the cities was also seriously damaged; out of 675 bridges, 360 were destroyed by fire.
The total number of deaths was 174 thousand, another 542 thousand are listed as missing. The damage is estimated at $4.5 billion, which at that time was twice the country's annual budget.
Tsunami in Ecuador
As a result of powerful tremors, a powerful tsunami arose that hit the entire coast of Central America. The first wave in the north reached San Francisco, and in the west - Japan.
However, due to the low population density, the death toll was minimal - about 1,500 people.
Earthquake in Chile
On February 27, 2010, one of the largest earthquakes in the last half century occurred in Chile. The magnitude of the earthquake was 8.8 on the Richter scale.
The epicenter was located near the city of Bio-Bio Concepción, which is the center of Chile's second largest agglomeration after Santiago. The main damage was suffered by the cities of Bio-Bio and Maule, the number of deaths was 540 and 64 people, respectively.
The earthquake caused a tsunami that hit 11 islands and the coast of Maule, but casualties were avoided because residents hid in the mountains in advance.
The amount of damage is estimated at $15-$30 billion, about 2 million people were left homeless, and about half a million residential buildings were destroyed.
Cascadia earthquake
On January 26, 1700, an earthquake occurred west of Vancouver Island in Canada, the magnitude of which is estimated at 8.7-9.2 on the Richter scale.
There is practically no data on this earthquake, since there were no written records in the region at that time. Only the oral traditions of the American Indians remain.
According to geology and seismology, strong earthquakes in Cascadia occur approximately once every 500 years and are almost always accompanied by a tsunami.
