The most powerful earthquake in history. The most powerful earthquakes in the world

On April 25, 2015, one of the most powerful earthquakes in history occurred in Nepal, claiming thousands of lives and destroying a large number of historical monuments.

This is the seventh major earthquake in the 21st century. Let's try to remember them all.

2003 Iranian Bam earthquake

On December 26, 2003, the ancient city of Bam in Kerman province, Iran, experienced a devastating earthquake (6.3 magnitude), in which more than 35 thousand people died and more than 22 thousand were injured (out of 200 thousand population). About 90% of the historic city's clay buildings were destroyed.

The impact of the earthquake was so widespread because many of the houses were made of clay and did not meet local 1989 codes.

2004 Indian Ocean earthquake

An undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean, exactly one year after the Iranian one, on December 26, 2004, caused a tsunami, recognized as the deadliest natural disaster in modern history. The magnitude of the earthquake was, according to various estimates, from 9.1 to 9.3. This is the third most powerful earthquake on record.

The epicenter of the earthquake was in the Indian Ocean, north of the island of Simeulue, located off the northwestern coast of the island of Sumatra (Indonesia). The tsunami reached the shores of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, southern India, Thailand and other countries. The height of the waves exceeded 15 meters. The tsunami caused enormous destruction and a huge number of deaths, as far away as Port Elizabeth, South Africa, 6,900 km from the epicenter.

According to various estimates, from 225 thousand to 300 thousand people died. The true death toll is unlikely to ever be known, as many people were swept out to sea.

2008 Sichuan earthquake

The Sichuan earthquake was a devastating earthquake that occurred on May 12, 2008 in Sichuan Province, China. The magnitude of the earthquake was 8 Mw according to the China Seismological Bureau. The epicenter was recorded 75 km from the capital of Sichuan province, Chengdu. The earthquake was felt in Beijing (1,500 km away) and Shanghai (1,700 km), where office buildings shook and evacuations began. It was also felt in neighboring countries: India, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mongolia and Russia.

The earthquake occurred in the seismically active Longmenshan fault, which runs along the western edge of the Sichuan Basin, separating it from the Sino-Tibetan mountains.

Official sources state that as of August 4, 2008, about 70 thousand people were killed, about 18 thousand people were missing, and almost 300 thousand were injured.

2010 Haiti earthquake

On January 12, 2010, a major earthquake occurred on the island of Haiti. The epicenter was located 22 km southwest of the capital of the Republic of Haiti, Port-au-Prince.

The earthquake in Haiti was the result of the movement of the earth's crust in the contact zone of the Caribbean and North American lithospheric plates. The last time an earthquake of such destructive force occurred in Haiti was in 1751.

According to official data, as of March 18, 2010, the death toll was more than 200 thousand people, more than 300 thousand people were injured, and 869 people were missing. Material damage is estimated at 5.6 billion euros.

2010 Chile earthquake

The Chile earthquake was a powerful earthquake that occurred on February 27, 2010 off the coast of Chile, causing loss of life, destruction, and a tsunami. One of the largest earthquakes in the last half century. The epicenter of the magnitude 8.8 earthquake was 90 kilometers from the capital of the Bio-Bio region, Concepción, the country's second largest agglomeration after Santiago. Less than a thousand people became victims of the disaster.

The earthquake caused a tsunami, which hit 11 islands and the coast of Maule, but the number of victims caused by the tsunami was minimal: most of the residents of the coast managed to hide from the tsunami in the mountains.

2011 Japan earthquake

An earthquake off the east coast of Honshu in Japan, also known as the Great East Japan Earthquake, occurred on March 11, 2011. Its magnitude was up to 9.1. This is the strongest earthquake in the known history of Japan.

The earthquake caused a powerful tsunami, which caused widespread destruction on the northern islands of the Japanese archipelago. The maximum wave height was about 40 meters. The tsunami spread throughout the Pacific Ocean; Many coastal countries, including along the entire Pacific coast of North and South America from Alaska to Chile, issued warnings and evacuations.

As a result of a natural disaster, an accident occurred at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant. Three reactors were damaged to varying degrees and became the source of heavy radioactive releases.

As of September 5, 2012, the official death toll as a result of the earthquake and tsunami was more than 15 thousand people, about 3 thousand are missing, and more than 6 thousand were injured.

2015 Nepal earthquake

The 2015 Nepal earthquakes were a series of earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 4.2Mw to 7.8Mw that occurred on April 25 and 26, 2015. Tremors were felt in Nepal's capital Kathmandu. Tremors were also observed on Everest, triggering avalanches that killed more than 80 climbers.

The Nepalese government has confirmed the death of more than 4 thousand people, about 7 thousand people were injured. According to media reports, a total of about 100 people died in Nepal's neighboring countries (India, Bangladesh, China).

According to preliminary data, thousands of houses have been completely destroyed in the country, the damage is estimated at $5 billion.

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 residents 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 most 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.

WITH most famous strong earthquake in the history of mankind, which claimed the greatest number of lives occurred in Shaanxi and Henan in China. Estimated to have died on 2 February 1556 830 thousand people. In history 20th and 21st centuries A colossal number of vibrations of the earth's crust of enormous force were recorded, resulting in numerous human casualties. According to experts, the number major earthquakes is growing every year. Also, almost 150 are recorded annually earthquakes small magnitude. Observers attribute this to the approach of the mysterious planet Nibiru.

We bring to your attention the most strong and large earthquakes that happened on our planet in the 20th and 21st centuries, each of which resulted in a huge number of deaths, piles of destroyed buildings and homes, and a record number of people left homeless. Position in the ranking of described earthquakes very conditional.

† In terms of the number of victims, it is considered one of the most large 20th and 21st centuries Tien Shan earthquake July 28, 1976 with magnitude 7.9. Death toll reaches 750,000.

† In 1950, in the state of Assam (India), so much happened strong earthquake that all the seismographs went off scale. Its magnitude was 9 on the Richter scale.

† February 4, 1976 due to the appearance of a crack in the Motagua fault in Guatemala over 1 million inhabitants left homeless in an instant.

† Most major earthquake in the 20th century according to the scale of the Japanese seismologist Kanamori, it was observed on May 22, 1960 in Chile. Then at least 10 thousand people. Large cities were destroyed - Concepcion, which existed for more than 400 years, Valdivia, Puerto Montt, Osorno and others. The Pacific coast for more than 1000 km suffered from the rampant disaster. Coastal strip with an area of ​​10 thousand square meters. km sank below ocean level and was covered by a two-meter layer of water. 14 volcanoes have awakened. A series of subsequent aftershocks killed 5,700 people and left another 100,000 homeless. The damage caused was estimated at $400 million, and 20% of the country's industrial complex was destroyed. In 7 days (May 21-30), almost the entire Chilean countryside was reduced to ruins. The monstrous destruction on the coast was complemented by a gigantic tsunami. In particular, the port of Ankund, the capital of the island of Chiloe, was washed away. And on Easter Island, a 10-meter wave scattered, like grains of sand, multi-ton (up to 80 tons) stones of an ancient ritual structure - ahu Tongariki.

† Trouble came to the city of Verny (today Alma-Ata) on the eve of the New Year 1911. The area of ​​complete destruction (9-11 points) covered the territory with an area of ​​15 thousand square meters. km. Mountain ranges and valleys were cut by faults up to 200 km long. The strip of the greatest disturbances of the earth's surface (500 m wide and 100 km long) was recorded on the southern coast of Issyk-Kul. Millions of tons of soil have shifted.

†Greatest seismic disaster 20th century occurred on August 15, 1950 in the highlands of Tibet. The energy was approximately equal to the force of the explosion 100 thousand atomic bombs. The total weight of the displaced rocks was about 2 billion tons. Eyewitness accounts were terrifying. A deafening roar erupted from the bowels of the earth. In Calcutta, more than 1,000 km away, underground vibrations caused bouts of seasickness among residents. Cars were thrown back 800 m, a section of the railway track 300 m long was lowered by almost 5 m, and the road was completely destroyed.

† Strong 11-12 points earthquake erupted on December 4, 1957 in southern Mongolia. It started around noon with a strong jolt. Residents managed to run out of the premises, and when the subsequent main blow wiped out the buildings, almost no one was left in them. Huge dark clouds of dust rose above the mountains, initially hiding the peaks. The dust spread quickly, covering the entire 230 km long mountain range. Visibility did not exceed 100 m. The air cleared only after two days. Soil vibrations were observed over an area of ​​5 million square meters. km.

† On August 31, 2012, an explosion occurred in the central part of the Philippine archipelago. major earthquake magnitude 7.6, which led to significant destruction of roads and bridges. Residents of the island of Samar hastened to take refuge on high ground, fearing a possible tsunami. The epicenter of the earthquake was 146 km from the island. The source of the tremors lay at a depth of 32 km. Fortunately, strong earthquake did not trigger a tsunami.

† On March 11, 2011, more than 20 major earthquakes of the 21st century, the strongest with a magnitude of up to 8.9 on the Richter scale. In Tokyo, buildings swayed and a major highway collapsed. A 10 m high tsunami reached the island of Honshu, and a six meter high tsunami hit the island of Hokkaido. In Miyagi Prefecture, water washed away not only boats, houses and cars, but also tanks from a military factory. The nuclear power plant stopped operating. Authorities have decided to close Narita International Airport in Tokyo. The cataclysm led to a displacement of the Earth's rotation axis by almost ten centimeters... The official death toll in 12 prefectures of Japan is 15,870 people, 2846 people are missing in 6 prefectures, 6110 injured in 20 prefectures. 3,400 houses were completely or partially destroyed. The city of Rikuzentakata, located in the northeastern Iwate Prefecture, was almost completely submerged under water. Strong explosion occurred at the oil storage facility of the oil company Cosmo Oil in the city of Likihara, in the suburbs of Tokyo. Explosions at the Fukushima nuclear power plant led to a radiation leak... A ghost loomed over the world again nuclear death, and the suburbs of Tokyo could well become one of.

† Late August 2012 episode earthquakes deprived the residents of the small town of Brawley in California. Here 400 happened in 4 days weak and moderate tremors. Nature reminded us that we need to be prepared for anything, because this is an earthquake-prone area.

We talked about the most dangerous natural disasters 20th and 21st centuries - earthquakes, the force and consequences of which could well lead to an unprecedented global catastrophe on Earth. The threat of global disaster is real. The same elements that created our fragile planet can destroy it. The earth is not ready for strong, large earthquakes magnitude 10 or more.

The power of tremors is estimated by the amplitude of oscillations of the earth's crust from 1 to 10 points. Areas in mountainous areas are considered the most earthquake-prone. We present to you the most powerful earthquakes in history.

The worst earthquakes in history

The large number of victims is associated not so much with the strength of the tremors, but with their duration. Modern researchers can judge the consequences of the destruction of the earthquake in the 2nd century only from the surviving chronicles, according to which the cities of Catania, Messina and Ragusa in Sicily were practically destroyed, and the coastal cities of Akratiri and Paralimni in Cyprus were also covered by a strong wave.

Earthquake on the island of Haiti

Despite the fact that the earthquake occurred in 2010, Haitians still need humanitarian assistance and are also rebuilding settlements on their own. This is the second most powerful earthquake in Haiti, the first occurred in 1751 - then the cities had to be rebuilt over the next 15 years.

Earthquake in China

Within 6 months after the main earthquake, so-called aftershocks were repeatedly felt - repeated seismic tremors with a power of 1-2 points. This disaster occurred during the reign of Emperor Jiajing, so it is called the Great Jiajing Earthquake in Chinese history.

The most powerful earthquakes in Russia

Earthquake on Sakhalin

The most significant consequences were felt in Neftegorsk, which was 30 kilometers from the epicenter of the earthquake. Within 17 seconds, almost all houses were destroyed. The damage caused amounted to 2 trillion rubles, and the authorities decided not to restore the settlements, so this city is no longer indicated on the map of Russia.

More than 1,500 rescuers were involved in eliminating the consequences. 2,040 people died under the rubble. A chapel was built and a memorial was erected on the site of Neftegorsk.

Earthquake in Japan

Tremors in the Pacific Ocean caused a powerful tsunami, the height of the waves was 10 meters. As a result of the collapse of a large flow of water on the coast of Japan, a radiation accident occurred at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant. Subsequently, for several months, residents of nearby areas were prohibited from drinking tap water due to its high cesium content.

In addition, the Japanese government ordered TEPCO, which owns the nuclear power plant, to compensate moral damages to 80 thousand residents forced to leave the contaminated areas.

The most powerful earthquake in the world

The strongest tremors were felt in the state of Assam, which was reduced to ruins as a result of the earthquake - more than two thousand houses were destroyed and more than six thousand people were killed. The total area of ​​the territories caught in the destruction zone was 390 thousand square kilometers.

According to the site, earthquakes also often occur in volcanically active areas. We present to you an article about the highest volcanoes in the world.
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A series of earthquakes in Italy led to several hundred casualties. It's a tragedy, but it could have been worse. NV selected the most destructive earthquakes in the history of civilization

How NV, the Italian earthquakes were quite strong - magnitude 6.2 and 4 on the Richter scale. However, unlike popular belief among ordinary people, the strength of the tremors is not always directly related to the number of victims.

A lot depends on how densely populated the region is in which the disaster occurs and what the earthquake resistance of the buildings is.

The last factor played an important role in Italian events. In particular, some observers note that the economic damage will be enormous due to the fact that old buildings in many cities in central Italy have simply collapsed like houses of cards. All this will have to be rebuilt.

Sometimes colossal earthquakes resulted in relatively few casualties. As happened in Alaska in 1964, when an earthquake measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale killed 128 people. For example, in the Armenian city of Spitak in 1988, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 led to the death of 25 thousand people.

NV selected 7 underground disasters that claimed the greatest number of human lives.

The most monstrous earthquake in human history. The death toll exceeded 830 thousand people.

No measurements were taken at that time, but, analyzing eyewitness accounts, scientists estimate it to be at least 8 points on the Richter scale. Cracks with a depth of over 20 m opened at the epicenter of the earthquake. Destruction was recorded within a radius of 500 km from the epicenter.

Such a huge number of victims is explained by the high population density, as well as the fact that most people lived in light wooden buildings and caves dug into the hillsides.

An earthquake is unique in nature. It consisted of two shocks of identical strength (7.8 points on the Richter scale). The second followed 16 hours after the first.

In total, 650 thousand people died as a result of the tragedy. The destruction was so monstrous that the government of communist China even agreed to accept help from its sworn capitalist enemies.

227 thousand people died as a result of a powerful earthquake in the Indian Ocean (9.3 points) with a force equivalent to 23 thousand nuclear charges, similar to the one that was detonated in Hiroshima.

The monstrous tsunami resulting from the earthquake hit 11 Asian countries. The waves reached 15 m in height.

An earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale led to the death of 200 thousand people and terrible destruction over an area of ​​over 3.8 thousand square meters. km.

Over the next few months, more than 20 thousand people died from the cold, losing their homes in the midst of a harsh winter.

A powerful earthquake (magnitude 7.9) literally wiped out Yokohama and caused enormous destruction in Tokyo.

143 thousand people died, more than 1 million lost their homes. A total of 600 thousand buildings were destroyed (90% of buildings in Yokohama and 40% in Tokyo).

The Soviet authorities tried in every possible way to hide the truth about the 1948 cataclysm. Therefore, for many decades, in official sources, in the column for the number of victims, the figure of 10 thousand people was indicated.

During the era of perestroika, documents were made public, according to which the death toll was 11 (!) times higher.

As a result of a powerful earthquake (7.9 points), Ashgabat turned into ruins in a matter of minutes - almost not a single intact building remained in the city.

The shock, measuring 7 on the Richter scale, and a series of subsequent impacts, some reaching magnitude 4, killed at least 100,000 people. 250 thousand private houses and about 30 thousand government buildings were destroyed.

The cataclysm in Haiti was marked by unprecedented unity with which the developed countries of the world sent assistance to eliminate the consequences of the earthquake. The United States sent an aircraft carrier with food rations and medical supplies to the shores of Haiti. More than 20 countries sent military personnel to Haiti to provide assistance and maintain order in the devastated country.