How many people died in the Valdivia earthquake?
The Valdivia earthquake left two million people homeless, injured at least 3,000, and killed approximately 1,655. The economic damage totaled $550 million (more than $4.8 billion, adjusted for 2020 inflation). The Valdivia earthquake trigger ed a massive tsunami that raced across the Pacific.
How many people died in the 1960 Chile earthquake?
When: May 22 1960. Where: Southern Chile. Death toll: Estimates of the number of casualties directly attributable to the Valdivia earthquake (sometimes called the Great Chilean Earthquake) vary considerably, from around 2,000 to over 6,000.
How did the Valdivia tsunami affect Chile?
Beyond Valdivia, a vast tract of Chile was seriously affected as coastal settlements were wiped out by tsunamis, ships sank and extensive flooding was experienced.
What was the impact of the Chile earthquake?
There, the Nazca oceanic plate plunged 50 feet down under the South American plate. The earthquake caused huge landslides of debris down the mountains of the region, as well as a series of tsunamis in the coastal region of Chile. At 4:20 p.m., a 26-foot wave hit the shore, taking most structures...
How many people died in the 1960 Chile tsunami?
This quake occurred along the coast of Chile on May 22, 1960. In Chile, the earthquake and the tsunami that followed took more than 2,000 lives and caused property damage estimated at $550 million (1960 dollars). From Chile the tsunami radiated outward, killing 61 people in Hawaii and 122 in Japan.
How many people died in the 9.5 earthquake in Chile?
1,655 killedApproximately 1,655 killed, 3,000 injured, 2,000,000 homeless, and $550 million damage in southern Chile; tsunami caused 61 deaths, $75 million damage in Hawaii; 138 deaths and $50 million damage in Japan; 32 dead and missing in the Philippines; and $500,000 damage to the west coast of the United States.
Has there ever been a 9.5 earthquake?
On May 22, 1960 a great Mw 9.5 earthquake, the largest earthquake ever instrumentally recorded, occurred off the coast of southern Chile. This earthquake generated a tsunami that was destructive not only along the coast of Chile, but also across the Pacific in Hawaii, Japan, and the Philippines.
Were there any fatalities in the Valdivia earthquake?
The 1960 Valdivia earthquake and tsunami (Spanish: Terremoto de Valdivia) or the Great Chilean earthquake (Gran terremoto de Chile) on 22 May 1960 was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded....1960 Valdivia earthquake.Valdivia after the 22 May earthquakeIquique Santiago Punta ArenasLandslidesYesCasualties1,000–6,00015 more rows
How bad was the Valdivia earthquake?
The earthquake hit at 3:11 pm approximately 100 miles (160 km) off the coast of Chile, parallel to the city of Valdivia. The shock is generally agreed to have had a magnitude of 9.5, though some studies alternately proposed that it may have been 9.4 or 9.6.
Has there ever been a 10.0 earthquake?
No, earthquakes of magnitude 10 or larger cannot happen. The magnitude of an earthquake is related to the length of the fault on which it occurs. That is, the longer the fault, the larger the earthquake.
Do dogs bark before earthquake?
According to the study, 236 of 1,259 dog owners said they observed strange behaviors, such as neediness, barking, and howling before the quake. Some said their dogs were so restless they even escaped. Sixty percent of these reports happened in the seconds and minutes before the earthquake.
What would a 10.0 earthquake do?
A magnitude 10 quake would likely cause ground motions for up to an hour, with tsunami hitting while the shaking was still going on, according to the research. Tsunami would continue for several days, causing damage to several Pacific Rim nations.
How did the Valdivia earthquake start?
The 1960 Chile earthquake was caused by the Nazca plate releasing tension and descending 15 meters underneath the South American Plate. It happened 30.5 km off the Chilean coast....CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LARGEST EARTHQUAKE EVER RECOREDED.Date:May 22nd, 1960Plates Involved:Nazca Plate & S. American Plate4 more rows
What's the worst earthquake in history?
The biggest earthquake ever recorded, of magnitude 9.5, happened in 1960 in Chile, at a subduction zone where the Pacific plate dives under the South American plate.
How did Chile recover from the 1960 earthquake?
1) 'Earthquakes don't kill people, buildings do' After being hit by the planet's largest-ever recorded earthquake back in 1960, Chile developed strict anti-seismic building codes. Despite this, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake in 2010 wreaked destruction in southern and central parts of the country.
What was the largest earthquake ever?
Valdivia EarthquakeReferencesNo.MagAlternative Name1.9.5Valdivia Earthquake2.9.21964 Great Alaska Earthquake, Prince William Sound Earthquake, Good Friday Earthquake3.9.1Sumatra-Andaman Islands Earthquake, 2004 Sumatra Earthquake and Tsunami, Indian Ocean Earthquake4.9.1Tohoku Earthquake12 more rows•Jun 26, 2019
How many people died in the Chile tsunami 2010?
525 dead2010 Chile earthquakeDamage sustained by a building in Concepción, located around 100 kilometres south of the epicenter.Max. intensityIX (Violent)Peak acceleration0.65 gTsunamiYesCasualties525 dead, 25 missing11 more rows
How long did the 1960 Chile earthquake last?
10 minutesWhen The Biggest Earthquake Ever Recorded Hit Chile, It Rocked The World In 1960, all of Chile shook violently for more than 10 minutes. That quake along the western coast of South America was so big, it changed the way people see the world.
What was the worst earthquake in history?
The 1964 Great Alaska earthquake (also known as Good Friday earthquake) occurred at 5:36 PM (local time, 3:36 UTC) on Good Friday, March 27 in the Prince William Sound region of Alaska. It lasted approximately 4.5 minutes and is the most powerful recorded earthquake in U.S. history.
How did Chile recover from the 1960 earthquake?
1) 'Earthquakes don't kill people, buildings do' After being hit by the planet's largest-ever recorded earthquake back in 1960, Chile developed strict anti-seismic building codes. Despite this, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake in 2010 wreaked destruction in southern and central parts of the country.
When did the Valdivia earthquake happen?
The Valdivia earthquake occurred at 15:11 UTC-4 on 22 May, and affected all of Chile between Talca and Chiloé Island, more than 400,000 square kilometres (150,000 sq mi). Coastal villages, such as Toltén, were struck. At Corral, the main port of Valdivia, the water level rose 4 m (13 ft) before it began to recede.
Where was the tsunami in Chile?
The resulting tsunamis affected southern Chile, Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, eastern New Zealand, southeast Australia, and the Aleutian Islands . The epicenter of this megathrust earthquake was near Lumaco, approximately 570 kilometres (350 mi) south of Santiago, with Valdivia being the most affected city.
What was the most powerful earthquake in history?
The 1960 Valdivia earthquake (Spanish: Terremoto de Valdivia) or the Great Chilean earthquake ( Gran terremoto de Chile) on 22 May 1960 was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded. Various studies have placed it at 9.4–9.6 on the moment magnitude scale.
What ships were wrecked in the earthquake?
In the Valdivia River and Corral Bay, several vessels were wrecked by the earthquake, among them Argentina, Canelos, Carlos Haverbeck, Melita, and the salvaged remnants of Penco.
What happened in 1575?
There is evidence that a similar earthquake and landslide occurred in 1575 in Valdivia. This earthquake was of similar strength and also caused a Riñihuazo. According to the chronicle of Mariño de Lobera, corregidor of Valdivia in 1575, a landslide blocked the outflow of the lagoon of Renigua. Several months later in April, it caused a flood. He said that the Spanish settlers had evacuated and waited on high ground until after the dam burst, but many aboriginals died in the flood waters. While the 1575 earthquake is considered the one most similar to that of 1960, it differed in not having caused any tsunami in Japan.
What were the earthquakes in 1960?
The 1960 Chilean earthquakes were a sequence of strong earthquakes that affected Chile between 21 May and 6 June 1960, centered in the Araucanía, Aysén, and Bío Bío regions of the country. The first three quakes, all registering in the planet's top 10 by magnitude for 1960, are grouped together as the 1960 Concepción earthquakes. The first of these was the 8.1 M w Concepción earthquake at 06:02 UTC-4 on 21 May 1960. Its epicenter was near Curanilahue. Telecommunications to southern Chile were cut off and President Jorge Alessandri cancelled the traditional ceremony of the Battle of Iquique memorial holiday to oversee the emergency assistance efforts. The second and third Concepción earthquakes occurred the next day at 06:32 UTC-4 (7.1 M w) and 14:55 UTC-4 (7.8 M w) on 22 May. These earthquakes formed a southward migrating foreshock sequence to the main Valdivia shock, which occurred just 15 minutes after the third event.
Where is the most affected area in the Central Valley?
The two most affected areas were Valdivia and Puerto Octay, near the northwest corner of Llanquihue Lake. Puerto Octay was the center of a north–south elliptical area in the Central Valley, where the intensity was at the highest outside the Valdivia Basin.
Overview
Natural disasters
Earthquake-induced tsunamis affected southern Chile, Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, China, eastern New Zealand, southeast Australia, and the Aleutian Islands. Some localized tsunamis severely battered the Chilean coast, with waves up to 25 m (82 ft). The main tsunami crossed the Pacific Ocean at a speed of several hundred km/h and devastated Hilo, Hawaii, killing 61 people. …
Earthquake sequence
The 1960 Chilean earthquakes were a sequence of strong earthquakes that affected Chile between 21 May and 6 June 1960, centered in the Araucanía, Aysén, and Bío Bío regions of the country. The first three quakes, all registering in the planet's top 10 by magnitude for 1960, are grouped together as the 1960 Concepción earthquakes. The first of these was the 8.1 Mw Concepción earthq…
Consequences and response
The levels of material damage were relatively low given the high magnitude of the earthquake. Part of the reason behind this was the limited infrastructure development of the region next to the rupture zone. Structures that had been designed to resist earthquakes performed well during the earthquake, chiefly suffering damage when affected by soil subsidence or small fault movements…
Previous and subsequent earthquakes
An earthquake of similar magnitude occurred in this area around 1800 BC, as has been determined by dating charcoal and shells washed into the Atacama Desert by the tsunami. This apparently caused the hunter-gatherers of the area to stop living near the coast for the next thousand years or so.
There is evidence that a similar earthquake and landslide occurred in 1575 in Valdivia. This earth…
See also
• 1964 Villarrica eruption
• Geology of Chile
• Great Chilean drought of 1968–1969
• List of earthquakes in 1960
External links
• Chilean earthquake and tsunami – University of Washington
• Tsunami of 1960 – George Pararas-Carayannis
• Hawaii Events – Pacific Disaster Center
• 22 May 1960 South Central Chile Tsunami Amplitudes – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration