The most terrible earthquakes of the 21st century. Strong earthquakes Large earthquakes of the 20th and 21st centuries
TASS DOSSIER. On September 19, 2017, at 18:14 UTC, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Mexico, followed by 11 aftershocks up to magnitude 4. A total of at least 224 people were reportedly killed.
The editors of TASS-DOSSIER have prepared material about the ten largest earthquakes of the 20th and 21st centuries. When compiling the rating, the officially confirmed number of deaths was taken into account.
On January 12, 2010, at 21:53 UTC, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred in Haiti. Its hypocenter was located in the sea, 25 km southwest of the capital, Port-au-Prince, at a depth of 13 km. 316 thousand people died, more than 300 thousand were injured, 1.3 million were left homeless. 97 thousand houses were destroyed, 188 thousand buildings were damaged. The city of Port-au-Prince was almost completely destroyed. Economic damage amounted to $7.9 billion
On July 27, 1976, at 19:42 UTC, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred near the Chinese mining town of Tangshan, Hebei Province, 150 km east of Beijing. According to official data, 242 thousand 769 people died (the media suggested that the real number of victims could reach 800 thousand). Tangshan turned into ruins, destruction was also recorded in Tianjin and Beijing. All roads and about 400 km of railway tracks in the region were damaged, which made it difficult for rescue teams to arrive in the city. Economic damage amounted to $2 billion
On December 26, 2004, at 00:58 UTC, an earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean. Scientists estimate its magnitude to be between 9.1 and 9.3. The hypocenter was located 160 km west of the island of Sumatra, at a depth of 30 km. There was a shift of tectonic plates over 1200 km, the resulting tsunami up to 10 meters high reached the coasts of Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, southern India and the east coast of Africa. As a result, according to various estimates, from 225 to 300 thousand people in 14 countries were killed, about 2.2 million were injured. The earthquake and tsunami caused numerous destructions, the economic damage to Thailand is estimated at $5 billion, India - $1.6 billion, the Maldives - at $1.3 billion, Indonesia - $4.5 billion, Sumatra Islands - $675 million On December 16, 1920 at 12:06 UTC, an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 occurred in the Chinese province of Gansu. The epicenter was in Haiyuan County. Oscillations earth's crust led to destruction on an area of 67.5 thousand square meters. km, affecting seven provinces and regions. The earthquake was accompanied by numerous landslides and landslides that buried entire villages. Numerous cracks formed on the surface, the largest of which reached 200 km in length. Several rivers changed their course. According to various estimates, the total number of victims of the earthquake was 200-240 thousand people, about 20 thousand people died from the cold, having lost their shelter.
On September 1, 1923, at 2:58 UTC, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Japan, known as the Great Kanto Earthquake. The hypocenter was located 90 km southwest of Tokyo in the sea near Oshima Island. Many populated areas, including Tokyo, Yokohama, and Yokosuka, suffered enormous destruction. Fires started in the cities; in Tokyo alone, about 40 thousand people suffocated from smoke in one of the squares. A 12-meter tsunami formed in Sagami Bay, devastating coastal settlements.
In total, about 143 thousand people died, 542 thousand were missing, more than 694 thousand homes were destroyed or burned down. Material losses were estimated at $4.5 billion, which at that time amounted to two of the country’s annual budgets and five times higher than Japan’s expenses in Russo-Japanese War. The Great Kanto Earthquake is the most destructive in Japanese history.
On October 5, 1948, at 20:12 UTC, an earthquake of magnitude 7.3 occurred in Ashgabat (Turkmen SSR). As a result, 90-98% of all buildings were destroyed, and the cities of Batir and Bezmein were also severely damaged. In Soviet times, the exact number of victims was not stated; in 2010, the President of Turkmenistan stated that the earthquake claimed the lives of 176 thousand residents of the republic, including 89% of Ashgabat residents. Since 1995, October 6 is celebrated in Turkmenistan as Remembrance Day.
On May 12, 2008, at 6:28 UTC, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake occurred in Sichuan Province, China. The epicenter was located in Wenchuan County, 80 km northwest of the provincial capital, Chengdu. The tremors were felt in Beijing (1,500 km from the epicenter) and Shanghai (1,700 km). The earthquake was also felt in India, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mongolia and Russia. 87.6 thousand people became victims of the natural disaster, more than 370 thousand were injured. 15 million people were evacuated, more than 5 million were left homeless. In total, more than 45.5 million people were affected in 10 provinces. 5.36 million buildings were completely destroyed, more than 21 million were damaged. Total economic damage is estimated at $86 billion
On October 8, 2005, at 3:50 UTC, an earthquake occurred in South Asia - in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. The magnitude was 7.6. The epicenter was located 105 km northeast of the capital of Pakistan. In Pakistan, 86 thousand people were killed and more than 69 thousand people were injured. More than 32 thousand buildings were destroyed. In India, 1.3 thousand people became victims, 6.2 thousand were injured. More than 4 million people lost their homes. The Pakistani government estimated the damage at $5-12 billion. The earthquake was the most destructive in South Asia in the last 100 years. As a result, a 100 km long fault was formed, along which almost all structures were destroyed. Tremors were also felt in China, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.
On December 28, 1908, at 4:20 UTC, an earthquake of magnitude 7.2 occurred in the city of Messina on the island of Sicily (Italy). The epicenter was located in the Strait of Messina between Sicily and the Apennine Peninsula. The tremors caused a tsunami 6-12 meters high. As a result, the cities of Messina, Reggio Calabria and Palmi and about 20 other settlements were destroyed. 72 thousand people died (40% of the population of Messina and 25% of the inhabitants of Reggio Calabria). This earthquake is considered the strongest in the history of Europe. The crews of the Russian ships Tsesarevich, Slava, Admiral Makarov and Bogatyr, which at that moment were in the port of Augusta in Sicily, took part in clearing the rubble and helping the population.
On May 31, 1970, at 20:23 UTC, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake occurred near Peru. The hypocenter was located in the Peruvian-Chilean deep-sea trench in the Pacific Ocean, 25 km east of Chimbote, a major Peruvian fishing port. The tremors caused a glacier to fall from Mount Huascaran (height 6768 m), which caused a giant landslide of stones, ice and mud about 1.5 km long and more than 750 m wide. It fell at a speed of more than 200 km/h on the cities of Yungay, Karaz and Ranrairka, destroying dozens of villages along the way. As a result of the earthquake and landslide, about 70 thousand people were killed or missing, more than 157 thousand were injured, 800 thousand were left homeless. Damage amounted to about $260 million
This list shows the strongest earthquakes (on the Richter scale - magnitude) in the history of observation.
Assam, Tibet
1950, magnitude 8.6, epicenter Tibet
The earthquake caused very strong landslides that blocked entire rivers. At that time, approximately 1,500 people died in eastern Tibet and Assam in India alone.
North Sumatra, Indonesia
The earthquake killed more than 100 people and left hundreds with varying degrees of injury, mostly on the island of Nias in the eastern Indian Ocean. This is the second largest earthquake to hit the island. A couple of months earlier, there was another one here, ranking third on the list of the strongest earthquakes in the world.
Rat Islands, Alaska
1965, magnitude 8.7
A powerful earthquake caused a tsunami reaching a height of 10 meters. But despite its strength, the earthquake did not bring dire consequences, mainly due to the remoteness of the islands and the fact that these islands are uninhabited. Tsunamis were recorded in Hawaii and even Japan.
coast of Ecuador, Colombia
1906, magnitude 8.8
The earthquake caused a giant tsunami that killed approximately 1,500 people. The tsunami reached the shores of Central America, San Francisco and Japan.
Maule Region, Chile
More than 500 people became victims of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami, and 800,000 people were left homeless. In total, more than 1.8 million people were affected by the earthquake, and the damage caused exceeded $30 billion. The earthquake occurred at the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates at a depth of 35 km.
Kamchatka, Russia (USSR)
The first scientifically recorded earthquake with a whopping 9 points on the Richter scale was recorded precisely on the eastern coast of Kamchatka, in the Pacific Ocean at approximately 5 o'clock in the morning. As a result of the earthquake, a tsunami (15–18 meters high) was formed, which destroyed the city of Severo-Kurilsk. Then 2,336 people died.
east coast of Japan
in 2011, magnitude 9
March 11, 2011 is a sad date for Japan. An earthquake that occurred in the western Pacific Ocean generated a tsunami 130 km east of the city of Sendai, which killed 29,000 people and damaged several nuclear reactors.
west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia
The third strongest earthquake occurred underwater in the Indian Ocean. It caused a giant tsunami, considered the deadliest natural disaster in the world. modern history. The tsunami reached 14 countries, mainly in Southeast Asia and East Africa. Then, according to various estimates, from 225 to 300 thousand people died (the exact figure is unknown, as many people were carried away into the ocean), another 1,700,000 were left without a roof.
Great Alaska earthquake, USA
The earthquake and subsequent tsunami took the lives of about 130 people. And economic losses amounted to approximately $311 million. This terrible event occurred on Good Friday.
The strongest earthquake in the history of observation had a magnitude of 9.5, creating a destructive tsunami, waves that reached 10 meters in height. Then 5,700 people died in Chile, 61 people in Hawaii and 130 in Japan. The damage to 1960 prices was approximately half a billion dollars.
Every January, UN experts sum up the results of the past year on seismic activity. In 1997, earthquakes killed 2,907 people. In 1998, 8,928 people died. In 1999, earthquakes claimed more than 22 thousand lives. The greatest sacrifice to the Earth during this century was made in 1976 - according to various estimates, from 255 to 600 thousand lives were claimed by an earthquake in China. On average, about 18 significant earthquakes with a magnitude of 7–7.9 points and one strong earthquake with a magnitude of 8 or higher occur on the planet per year. In 1999 there were 20. The record year is 1943, when 41 earthquakes were recorded.
The strongest earthquake in Guatemala's 200-year history. In fact, it was a whole series of earthquakes, which were preceded by heavy rains and thunderstorms. Guatemala City was flooded as soon as sinkholes appeared in the ground. Within an hour, 80 thousand residents lost their homes. A total of 12.2 thousand people died.
At 6 o'clock, an earthquake measuring 8.7 on the Richter scale hit the sleeping city. The city was almost completely reduced to ruins. 19 thousand of its inhabitants died.
25 villages were destroyed and 5 thousand people died during an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale that swept through the Calabria region. In Martirano alone, 2 thousand inhabitants died from a series of tremors lasting only 18 seconds.
Almost 7 thousand people died, most of San Francisco was reduced to ruins during the greatest earthquake in this place, measuring 8.3 on the Richter scale, and the fire it caused.
An earthquake measuring 8.6 on the Richter scale literally split the city into pieces. About 20 thousand people died, 100 thousand were left homeless. The total property damage caused by the earthquake was estimated at $200 million.
An earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale destroyed most of the city and carried away 1.4 thousand people. human lives. Within 36 sec. the earth reared up, destroying buildings. The resulting tsunami wave with enormous power hit the houses of people standing on the shore of Anotta Bay.
According to various sources, during a catastrophic earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale, which turned the city of Messina and 25 nearby settlements into ruins, between 160 thousand and 250 thousand people died.
The earthquake measured 8.6 on the Richter scale and claimed more than 200 thousand lives. Another 20 thousand people, left homeless, died from the frost. It was one of the most powerful earthquakes in the history of mankind.
A devastating earthquake (magnitude 8.3 on the Richter scale) and the fires it caused claimed the lives of 143 thousand residents of two cities, and in total about 200 thousand people died on the Kanto Plateau. Another 200 thousand people were injured, and 3.5 million people were left homeless. In Tokyo and Yokohama, 575 thousand buildings were destroyed. Every year on September 1, on the day of the “Great Kanto Earthquake,” exercises are held throughout Japan to teach the population the correct behavior during the violence of the elements.
50 thousand people were killed, 60 thousand were injured and 700 thousand were left homeless as a result of the earthquake measuring 8.3 on the Richter scale. The city of Concepcion lost 70% of its buildings.
A strong earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale killed more than 50 thousand residents of the provinces of Erzincan, Sivas and Samsun.
This was the most serious and severe earthquake in our country in the first half of the 20th century. The cities of Ashgabat, Batir and Bezmein suffered from impacts of the underground force of 9–10 points. 160 thousand people died under the ruins - 80% of the residents of the capital and surrounding villages.
The worst earthquake in the history of this country, an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale, claimed 6 thousand lives, injured 20 thousand people and made 100 thousand people homeless, devastating an area of 2.5 million km2 located on the central high mountain plateau. The mountain peaks were split in two, and the city of Pelileo was completely wiped off the face of the earth. The earthquake affected 53 cities and towns, some of them were completely devastated.
Here, in a sparsely populated area, the strongest earthquake ever recorded occurred. It claimed 1 thousand lives. Seismographs were unable to measure it because the arrows were off scale. Later, the earthquake was attributed to a force of 9 points on the Richter scale. The power of the earthquake was so colossal that it caused confusion in the calculations of seismologists. American seismologists decided that it happened in Japan, and Japanese seismologists decided that it happened in America. Catastrophic tremors shook the earth for 5 days, opening holes and closing them again, sending fountains of hot steam and superheated liquid into the sky, swallowing entire villages.
The successive earthquake, tsunami and series of mudflows claimed the lives of more than 5 thousand people. It all started with a barely noticeable earthquake, followed by a giant tsunami wave. On the Pacific coast of Mexico, it claimed thousands of lives, sank 10 small cargo ships and sent the passenger ship Synod with its crew and passengers on board to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. At night, massive mudflows literally buried the village of Minatitlan.
An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale and a tsunami devastated the Moroccan port of Agadir, destroying 70% of buildings and killing 12 thousand residents.
A series of earthquakes measuring 8.3 on the Richter scale killed 5.7 thousand people and left another 100 thousand homeless, while destroying 20% of the country's industrial complex. The damage caused was estimated at $400 million. In 7 days, almost the entire countryside of the country was reduced to ruins.
2 thousand people died, 3 thousand were injured and 178 thousand were left homeless. This is the result of an earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale, which leveled the city of Skopje.
The most powerful earthquake in American history (about 8.5 on the Richter scale) occurred on the coast of Alaska. The epicenter was located 120 km east of Anchorage. To the north of the epicenter the land dropped by 3.5 m, and to the south it rose by at least 2 m. The earthquake caused a tsunami that reached Antarctica. Much damage was caused by snowfalls, avalanches and landslides. The relatively low number of victims - 131 people - is due to the sparse population of the area.
Three areas of the island of Honshu - Niigata, Yamagata and Akita prefectures - were severely damaged by an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale. Over 500 thousand people were left homeless.
The epicenter of the earthquake, measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale, was in the city center. 9 people were killed, 15 people were seriously injured. About 2 million m2 of housing were lost. 78 thousand people lost a roof over their heads.
The earthquake measured 7.75 on the Richter scale and affected a wide area from the coastline to the mountains. The American Seismological Society declared the earthquake in Peru the most destructive in the history of the Western Hemisphere. 66.8 thousand people died or disappeared, 200 thousand were injured, 800 thousand were left homeless.
The source of the earthquake occurred at a depth of 15–20 kilometers from the surface of the Earth, under the bottom of the Tatar Strait, northeast of the island. Damage to buildings and deformations in the ground allow the shaking on the island to be estimated at 7–8 on the Richter scale.
Honduras and Guatemala were shaken by an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale. More than 22 thousand people died in Guatemala. According to approximate data, 75 thousand were injured and 1.5 million were left homeless. Honduras suffered more severely economically, but there were fewer casualties.
75% of the city of Managua was destroyed by an earthquake measuring 6.25 on the Richter scale. At the same time, 7 thousand people died and 200 thousand people were left homeless.
The largest earthquake recorded in the Hawaiian Islands since 1868. The earthquake was accompanied by two other phenomena. The movement along the fault under the ocean also generated an oceanic “tidal” wave - a tsunami. In some areas of the coast of the island of Hawaii, the height of the crest of this wave reached 12 m, but in most places the height of the wave did not exceed 6 m. The second remarkable event of the same day was the eruption of the Kilauea volcano. Lava appeared at the bottom of the caldera of this volcano less than an hour after the main shock. It poured out through cracks, and lava fountains rose 50 m into the air.
During the earthquake that hit Guatemala with a magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter scale, 22 thousand people died, 70 thousand were injured and more
The strongest earthquakes throughout human history have caused colossal material damage and caused a huge number of casualties among the population. The first mention of tremors dates back to 2000 BC.
And despite the achievements modern science and the development of technology, no one can still predict the exact time when the elements will 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 human history.
12. Lisbon
On November 1, 1755, a powerful earthquake occurred in the capital of Portugal, the city of Lisbon, later called the Great Lisbon Earthquake. A terrible coincidence was that November 1 - All Saints Day and 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 unfortunates under their rubble.
Then a 6-meter tsunami wave rushed into the city, covering the surviving people rushing in panic through the streets of destroyed Lisbon. The destruction and loss of life were colossal! As a result of the earthquake, which lasted no more than 6 minutes, the tsunami it caused and numerous fires that engulfed the city, at least 80,000 residents of the Portuguese capital died.
Many famous figures and philosophers touched on 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 sleeping San Francisco. The force of the tremors was 7.9 points and as a result of the strongest earthquake in the city, 80% of the buildings were destroyed.
After the first count of the dead, 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 it caused. As a result, more than 28,000 buildings throughout San Francisco were destroyed, with property damage amounting to more than $400 million at the exchange 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 measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale, according to various experts, from 120 to 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 practically not a single surviving building remained. A huge tsunami wave, caused by tremors and amplified by an underwater landslide, also caused a lot of destruction.
Documented fact: rescuers were able to pull two exhausted, dehydrated, but alive children from the rubble, 18 days after the disaster struck! The numerous and extensive destructions were caused primarily by the poor quality of buildings in Messina and other parts of Sicily.
Russian sailors of the Imperial Navy provided invaluable assistance to the residents of Messina. The ships as part of the training group sailed along Mediterranean Sea and on the day of the tragedy they ended up in the port of Augusta in Sicily. Immediately after the tremors, sailors organized a rescue operation and thanks to their brave actions, thousands of residents were saved.
9. Haiyuan
One of the deadliest earthquakes in human history was the devastating earthquake that struck Haiyuan County, part of 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 in the faults of the earth’s crust, such major cities like Xi'an, Taiyuan and Lanzhou. Incredibly, strong waves formed after the disaster were recorded even in Norway.
Modern researchers believe that the death toll was much higher and totaled at least 270,000 people. At that time, this 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, considered the strongest earthquake in the history of seismology, measured 9.5 on the Richter scale. The earthquake was so powerful that it caused tsunami waves more than 10 meters high, which covered not only the coast of Chile, but also caused enormous damage to the city of Hilo in Hawaii, and some of the waves reached the coasts of Japan and the Philippines.
More than 6,000 people died, most of whom were hit by the tsunami, and the destruction was unimaginable. 2 million people were left homeless and the damage amounted to more than $500 million. In some areas of Chile, the impact of the tsunami wave was so strong that many houses were carried away 3 km inland.
7. Alaska
On March 27, 1964, the most powerful earthquake in American history occurred in Alaska. The magnitude of the earthquake was 9.2 on the Richter scale and this earthquake was the strongest since the disaster struck Chile in 1960.
129 people died, of which 6 were victims of tremors, the rest were washed away by a huge tsunami wave. The disaster caused the greatest destruction in Anchorage, and tremors were recorded in 47 US states.
6. Kobe
The Kobe earthquake in Japan on January 16, 1995 was one of the most destructive in history. Tremors with a magnitude of 7.3 began at 05:46 am local time and continued for several days. As a result, more than 6,000 people died and 26,000 were injured.
The damage caused to the city's infrastructure was simply enormous. More than 200,000 buildings were destroyed, 120 of the 150 berths in the port of Kobe were destroyed, and there was no power supply for several days. The total damage from the disaster was about $200 billion, 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 those affected by the disaster.
5. Sumatra
On December 26, 2004, a powerful tsunami that hit the shores 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; the earth's crust shifted 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 the exact number of deaths is impossible to calculate. Many people were simply washed into the ocean.
One of the reasons for such a 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 approach of a tsunami.
4. Kashmir
On October 8, 2005, the worst earthquake to hit South Asia in a century occurred in the Pakistani-administered Kashmir region. The strength of the tremors was 7.6 on the Richter scale, which is comparable to the San Francisco earthquake in 1906.
As a result of the disaster, according to official data, 84,000 people died, according to unofficial data, more than 200,000. Rescue efforts have been hampered by military conflict between Pakistan and India in the region. Many villages were completely wiped off the face of the earth, and the city of Balakot in Pakistan was completely destroyed. In India, 1,300 people became victims of the earthquake.
3. Haiti
On January 12, 2010, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale occurred in 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 had escaped from a prison destroyed by the elements poured into the city; cases of looting, robberies and robberies became frequent on the streets. Material damage from the earthquake is estimated at 5.6 billion dollars.
Despite the fact that many countries - Russia, France, Spain, Ukraine, the USA, Canada and dozens of others - provided all possible assistance in eliminating the consequences of the disaster in Haiti, more than five years after the earthquake, more than 80,000 people still live in improvised camps for refugees.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and this natural disaster has dealt an irreparable blow to the economy and living standards of its citizens.
2. Earthquake in Japan
On March 11, 2011, the strongest earthquake in Japanese history occurred in 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 severely 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 was also colossal - more than $100 billion. And given that the complete restoration of the destroyed infrastructure may take years, the amount of damage may 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. 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 severely damaged, more than 300 villages were destroyed and 40% of the republic’s industrial capacity was destroyed. More than 500 thousand Armenians were left homeless, according to various estimates, from 25,000 to 170,000 residents died, 17,000 citizens remained disabled.
111 states and all republics of the USSR provided assistance in the restoration of destroyed Armenia.
On April 25, 2015, one of the most powerful earthquakes in history occurred in Nepal, claiming thousands of lives and destroying large number historical monuments.
This is the seventh major earthquake in the 21st century. Let's try to remember them all.
2003 Iranian Bam earthquake
alex-dfg.livejournal.comOn 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
By U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Philip A. McDaniel, via Wikimedia Commons 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 dead people, even to Port Elizabeth, South Africa, 6900 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
By 人神之间 (Own work (Original text: self-made 自己制作)) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons 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
By Logan Abassi / UNDP Global [CC BY 2.0 ], undefined 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
By Atilio Leandro (originally posted to Flickr as San Antonio/Chile) [CC BY-SA 2.0 ], undefined 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
By U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ethan Johnson [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons 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
By Krish Dulal (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons 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 were completely destroyed in the country, the damage is estimated at $5 billion.
