For all the time of its existence, humanity has repeatedly experienced various natural disasters, including tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. An earthquake is a natural phenomenon, the destructive action of which is capable of causing irreparable damage not only to a city or country, but to all of humanity. Scientists have not been able to explain the nature of earthquakes so far, therefore, it is impossible to determine where it will occur and what will be impossible.
Today we decided to recall the strongest earthquakes that occurred during the existence of mankind, which were measured by magnitude. The value on the scale can start from 1 and reach 9.5 points. The scale determines the amount of energy that is released during an earthquake. So, let's begin.
10. Tien Shan (1976)
The terrible earthquake that occurred in Tien-Shan in 1976, in its magnitude, gained only 8.2 points. At the same time, it became one of the most destructive, because according to official data more than 250 thousand people died, but if you believe not official sources, then this number is three times more.During the earthquake, nearly 6 million homes were destroyed, and the incident itself shocked the whole world so much that it became the basis for creating several films.
9. Portugal (1755)
A magnitude stronger earthquake happened in 1755 in Portugal. The event fell on All Saints Day and is tragic for the whole feast. In just a few minutes Lisbon turned into ruins, under which one hundred thousand people died. However, this is not all horror, because the earthquake provoked fires and tsunamis, which destroyed the coast of Portugal. In the end, a natural cataclysm provoked a change in foreign policy and the emergence of such a science as seismology. The magnitude of the earthquake is 8.8 points.
8. Chile (2010)
The next earthquake occurred in 2010 in Chile. This natural phenomenon has become the largest and most destructive in recent years, because as a result, millions of people were left without shelter, dozens of cities were destroyed, and the victims were numbered by thousands. The biggest damage was in Maula and Bio-Bio, as the earthquake triggered a tsunami. Magnitude - 9 points.
7. North America (1700)
As a result of strong seismic activity, the earthquake made the whole of North America tremble. An event that took place in 1700 changed the coastline of the mainland. The location of the disaster site is the Cascade Mountains, the magnitude of the earthquake is 9 points. As for the victims and destructions, historical data about this has not been preserved, it is only known that the catastrophe provoked a tsunami that reached the shores of Japan.
6. Japan (2011)
The earthquake on the east coast of Japan in 2011 is another powerful natural phenomenon that occurred not long ago and forever remains in the memory of humanity. A 9-point earthquake in just 6 minutes was able to raise more than 100 kilometers of the seabed in height by 8 kilometers and provoked a tsunami, the consequences of which are tragic. At the time of the disaster, the Fukushima nuclear power plant was damaged, due to which there was a release of radiation, which did not pass without a trace. Officially, the victim is 15 thousand people, but the actual number of the dead is unknown.
5. Kazakhstan (1911)
Locals are accustomed to aftershocks, because they live in the zone of the earth's crust. The worst earthquake happened in 1911, when the city of Almaty was destroyed. The earthquake was named Kemin, while it is the largest inland earthquake of the 20th century. Score magnitude - 9 points. As a result of the earthquake, ruptures of the relief appeared, the length of which is more than two hundred kilometers. Not only people are buried in these gaps, but also entire houses and streets.
4. The Kuril Islands (1952)
Here and in Kamchatka, seismic activity is considered the norm, so everyone has long been accustomed to small earthquakes. However, there is a catastrophe that horrified the locals in 1952. This devastating earthquake began on November 4th, 130 kilometers from the coast. The tsunami, whose wave height was 20 meters, and the earthquake caused irreparable damage to settlements and local residents. The waves came at an interval of one hour, while at the same time people hid from the first, but came out, naively believing that this was all over. As a result, more than 2 thousand people died. Score magnitude - 9 points.
3. Alaska (1964)
From the Alaska earthquake, 47 US states trembled. The epicenter of the disaster was in the Gulf of Alaska, where the joint of the North American and Pacific plates. The event took place on Good Friday, March 27, 1964. Score magnitude - 9.3 points. As a result, 9 people died, another 23 lives were taken by the tsunami, which was caused by tremors. As for densely populated areas, Anchorage suffered, but there was no threat to human lives.
2. Sumatra (2004)
One of the worst disasters occurred in 2004. Over the past 50 years, this is the worst and strongest earthquake that occurred in the Indian Ocean.The magnitude of the earthquake - 9.3 points, the scene of the incident - the coast of the Indonesian city of Sumatra. Seismic activity caused a monstrous tsunami that erased part of the city from the map. Waves whose height reached 15 meters caused damage to India, South Africa, Thailand and Sri Lanka. As a result of the catastrophe, millions of people were left without shelter, and the number of victims was at least 250 thousand.
1. Chile (1960)
The earthquake that occurred in Chile in 1960 was an unpleasant and terrible leader of our rating. If you believe the expert assessment, the magnitude of the disaster is 9.5 points. The epicenter of the disaster - the city of Valdivia. An earthquake in the Pacific formed a tsunami with 10-meter waves that destroyed the coastal zone facilities. The tsunami reached such magnitudes that even the inhabitants of Hilo, a Hawaiian town that is 10 thousand kilometers from the center of the disaster, felt its power.
