Trembling of the Earth: 7 largest earthquakes experienced by humanity (8 photos)

The earthquake in Turkey on February 6, 2023 shocked the whole world, already causing the deaths of 40,000 people. And, unfortunately, such Incidents happen all over the world on a regular basis. These earth tremors hundreds of thousands of lives were taken overnight. Like nuclear weapons, they wiped entire cities off the face of the earth.





Great Chilean disaster



This natural disaster, which happened on May 22, 1960, did not became the largest in terms of the number of victims. However, he went down in history as the strongest earthquake ever observed on the planet.

The moment magnitude reached 9.5 on the Kanamori scale (scale logarithmic, derivative of the Richter scale: i.e. increase by 1 point is equal to a 10 times increase in amplitude and a 32 times increase in energy).

The epicenter of the fluctuations was in southern Chile, not far from city of Valdivia. Tremors destroyed 20% of the country's industrial potential and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless.

However, the subsequent tsunami caused the greatest damage. Height waves reached 10 meters and washed into the ocean about 6 thousand Chileans, becoming main factor in mortality. The wave also reached the shores of Japan, killing another 150 people.

Earthquake in Shaanxi



The events that unfolded on January 23, 1556, probably seen by eyewitnesses as the end of the world. According to the most modest estimates, the cataclysm caused the death of 820 thousand people.

Tremors swept through the center of China, one of the most densely populated areas of Shaanxi. Modern geological studies allow us to talk about a magnitude of 7.9-8 points. Witnesses cataclysm reported the appearance of 20-meter dips and cracks in the relief, change in the course of rivers and the disappearance of some hills as a result of fluctuations.

The people living on the slopes of the hills were covered by a landslide. At home, erected on loose watered soils near the Yellow River, just fell into the ground. The tremors broke out at 5 a.m., when residents slept. According to written sources, some parts of the province lost up to 60% of the population.

Tangshan earthquake



One of the most tragic events of the 20th century. It happened also in China in 1976. The hypocenter was near the city Tanshan and demolished 90% of the buildings. The aftershocks started at night and buried under blockages of 242 thousand people.

According to Shanghai scientists, the main cause of the destruction was the lack of seismological protection of buildings. The power of the cataclysm reached a magnitude of 8.2.

Antioch earthquake



Natural disaster in 526. It broke out in the Byzantine city of Antioch and touched the adjacent regions in Syria.

The main factor in death was the start of the fire, which destroyed most of the city. According to historians, on fire and The confusion killed 250,000 people. It is believed that the power of the shocks could reach 9 points.

Underwater earthquake in Indonesia



Almost no one knows about this natural disaster, although it happened relatively recently - in 2004. caused the tsunami was one of the deadliest in history.

The magnitude of the earthquake was comparable to that of Chile. The amount of energy released has led to a change the speed of the Earth's rotation: the day has decreased by 3 microseconds.

The resulting 15-meter wave became catastrophic for the inhabitants of the coast of the Indian Ocean. Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and some other countries combined lost more than 230 thousand people. Tens of thousands have gone missing.

Aleppo earthquake



Another historical catastrophe that occurred in 1138 in Syrian Aleppo. The earthquake reached magnitude 8 and killed over 200 thousand people.

This long-suffering city is spread along a large geological fault. Since ancient times, Aleppo has been recognized as one of the most populous cities in the East. He fully recovered only by the 19th century, but was again struck by an earthquake, then by a plague, and after cholera.

Earthquake in Haiti



Happened in 2010. Killed 222,570 people! Tropical paradise is located in the zone of contact of large lithospheric plates, and therefore tremors posted here regularly.

The latter reached magnitude 7. Oddly enough, to The Haitians were completely unprepared for the event. Residential buildings and state buildings built without seismic protection did not leave chances for their residents to survive.

No one wants to be in these places. The same is now experienced by the inhabitants of Turkey and Syria. One can only sympathize with them.