Nature works in mysterious ways. While providing the best conditions for life, it also provides the world with various disasters, probably in order to maintain a balance between good and evil. She gives oxygen to breathe and shows her strength through thunderstorms. She shows her kindness, and at the same time, how evil she can be. One way to show your anger is an earthquake.
Being one of the worst forms of natural disasters, it certainly brings huge losses.
Earthquakes are usually caused by the shifting of tectonic plates under the Earth's surface. When tectonic plates collide, they cause the Earth's surface to vibrate, resulting in earthquakes.
The place where an earthquake occurs is called the epicenter, and the instrument for measuring the frequency of an earthquake is a seismometer. The basic principle of a seismometer is to measure the frequency of vibrations caused in a certain place. It prints a zigzag pattern on a sheet of paper and uses mathematical calculations to calculate the Richter value.
The earth experiences many earthquakes throughout the year. Most of them are quite weak and not felt. Usually their magnitude is less than 4 points, but some earthquakes are strong enough and can lead to huge destruction. The magnitude of such earthquakes is higher than 8 points.
The earthquake with the highest recorded magnitude was 9.5. Together with strong vibrations on the surface of the Earth, which causes buildings to fall and cause huge losses, earthquakes are the main cause of tsunamis and other natural disasters.
As a rule, earthquakes occurring under the surface of the sea or ocean are the most common cause of tsunamis. The earthquakes that are considered the strongest are described below.
Magnitude: 8.6
Date: August 15, 1950
Although known as the Assam Earthquake, the epicenter was in Tibet. About 800 people became victims of the disaster. The earthquake affected not only Assam and the region of Tibet, but also caused damage on the outskirts of China.
According to the records, 800 people are known to have died, but in reality, there were many more. A huge number of people suffered from severe injuries, so this earthquake was in the top ten of the worst.
Magnitude: 8.6
Date: March 28, 2005
One of the most devastating effects of an earthquake is that it occurs near bodies of water. It causes water to form tides and waves, leading to another natural disaster called a tsunami.
This is exactly what happened in the Sumatra Islands when an earthquake struck in the popular tourist month of March. Since this is an island state, the earthquake led to the formation of a tsunami and spread throughout the regions to Sri Lanka itself.
The number of victims as a result of the earthquake was 1,500 people, more than 400 were injured, including victims of the tsunami.
Magnitude: 8.7
Date: April 2, 1965
This earthquake occurred entirely under water, which caused tsunami waves, from which losses arose. Happened in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, the earthquake caused a huge tsunami, resulting in damage estimated in the thousands of dollars. There were no reports of casualties or injuries from the islands, since there is no population in those places.
Magnitude: 8.8
Date: January 31, 1906
Much time has passed since this disaster. The earthquake hit underwater, resulting in the infamous tsunami. Waves hit the coast of Colombia, the United States, and even the islands of Japan, resulting in a death toll of about 1,500 people.
After this tsunami, various coastal areas began to take preventive measures to prevent losses caused by the tsunami.
Magnitude: 8.8
Date: February 27, 2010
One of the worst days in the history of Chile's earthquake zone. More than 500 people died as a result of this earthquake. The tsunami caused by this earthquake added to the effect by displacing hundreds of thousands of people, of whom 50 have still not been found.
The number of injured people was 12,000. Thus, this earthquake became one of the strongest in the history of mankind.
Magnitude: 9.0
Date: November 4, 1952
Imagine a wave 9 meters high approaching you at a very high speed! What would you do? Wouldn't you feel helpless! A similar situation occurred in Kamchatka, Russia in 1952, when a huge tsunami caused by an earthquake measuring 9 on the Richter scale made people feel helpless.
They left their possessions and tried to find a safe place. Fortunately, no one died in the earthquake.
Magnitude: 9.0
Date: March 11, 2011
Who can forget the earthquake that caused the tsunami, as well as the destruction of thermal power plants in Japan, which made the area exposed to harmful radiation from uranium and thorium? Happening just a few years ago, this earthquake is considered one of the strongest.
The area of Japan is small, but this country is rich in knowledge and technology. This earthquake challenged thousands of minds in Japan. Despite suffering such huge losses, the government and the people came together to reduce the impact after such an earthquake and tsunami, and within a short time, secured the title of superpower again!
Magnitude: 9.1
Date: December 26, 2004
Being twice mentioned in the list, it is clear that Sumatra is included in the area most prone to earthquakes. Just three months before the earthquake measuring 8.6 on the Richter scale, this earthquake claimed many more lives and damaged property than what happened later.
It caused a devastating tsunami that killed about 300,000 people in South Africa and South Asia. It is known that after several days of the earthquake, a volcanic eruption occurred in Andaman.
Magnitude: 9.2
Date: March 28, 1964
The name speaks for itself! One of the biggest earthquakes in history due to its strength. The victims were 150 people, and the damage was estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars.
The tremor was only felt in parts of New America, but the resulting tsunami traveled to different places, causing massive damage.
Magnitude: 9.5
Date: 22 May 1960
The lands of Chile can be renamed the Land of Volcanoes, since it is here that the maximum number of earthquakes occurs. This is the second time a country name has been mentioned on this list. This earthquake claimed the lives of 1700 people, and the tsunami caused by it - 2 million human lives.
More than 3,000 people were seriously injured. The total amount of damage is 600 million dollars, which, of course, is not small. The country is trying to take many steps to prevent any losses caused by earthquakes, and to some extent these efforts are bearing fruit!
Video about the strongest earthquakes in the world from ADZI
The history of mankind remembers a lot of cataclysms, the most dangerous of which, for good reasons, are earthquakes. The power of such natural events is estimated on the Richter scale. We propose to recall the top 10 most powerful earthquakes in the history of the Earth. These are the most striking seismic threats 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 did not allow to avoid. And so, let's start the review:
TOP 10 most destructive earthquakes
It is worth noting that the most powerful earthquakes in the history of the world were recorded in Chile. The last one happened in 2010. The power of the magnetic impact on the Richter scale is estimated at 8.8 points. The epicenter of the threat was in the city of Bio-Bio Concepción. The inhabitants of this settlement and the city of Maule suffered the most. A total of 540 people died in Bio-Bio Concepcion. On the territory of the second city, 64 people were injured. Approximately 2 million people were left homeless. In total, the damage is estimated at $30 billion.
The tsunami that occurred on January 31 in Ecuador hit the entire coast of Central America at once. A magnitude of 8.8 was recorded in San Francisco. The first wave even reached Japan. Fortunately, it was possible to get by with a minimum of victims due to the low population density. According to preliminary estimates, 1,500 people were affected, left without homes. Due to the timely response of the rescuers, no dead were found. However, the damage is estimated at $1.5 million.
One of the strongest earthquakes in history is considered to be a seismic shock recorded in 1923 near the island of Oshima. Nearly 300,000 buildings in Tokyo and Yokohama were destroyed as a result of the incident. For two days there were 356 aftershocks. As a result, the waves reached a height of 12 meters. The tsunami claimed the lives of 174 thousand people. About 542 thousand are considered missing. In total, the damage is estimated at 4.5 billion dollars.
As a result of this cataclysm, more than 820 thousand people died. Paul the number of victims of this incident is considered the most serious in history. The catastrophe has gone down in history because of its duration. The horror lasted nearly three days. During this time, the entire component of the Shaanxi province was destroyed, including 60% of the population of the settlement. The epicenter affected three provinces, including Feinan and Huaxian. A magnetic focus has been registered in the Wei Valley. It is difficult to assess the damage due to the remoteness of the events.
In 2011, a magnitude of 9.1 was recorded on the island of Honshu. The strongest earthquake in the history of Japan occurred 130 kilometers from the city of Sendai. Approximately 30 minutes later, the coast of the country was overtaken by the strongest tsunami, which destroyed 11 power units of the nuclear power plant in 69 minutes. As a result, 6,000 people died. 2,000 Japanese were missing. In total, the country suffered $36.6 billion worth of damage. To this day, local residents remember March 11 with horror.
As a result of a powerful earthquake on November 5, 1952, the tsunami reached the city of Severo-Kurilsk. As a result of a seismic event with a magnitude of 9 points, the strongest tsunami destroyed the entire city. According to rough estimates, the wave took the lives of 2336 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. In total, 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 focus of the cataclysm provoked the most destructive tsunami in the history of mankind. Waves of 15 meters destroyed Sri Lanka, southern India and the coast of Indonesia. Even the people of Thailand suffered damage. The tsunami almost completely demolished the infrastructure of the east of Sri Lanka. According to preliminary estimates, close to 225 thousand people died. At the same time, another 300 thousand are considered missing. According to preliminary estimates, the damage is 10 billion dollars.
It happened in the northern part of the Gulf of Alaska. Power is 9.2 points. The epicenter of the terrible earthquake was registered 120 kilometers from the western part of Sewarde. The aftershocks resulted in the destruction of Kodiak Island and the city of Valdese. 9 people died from the shock itself. The tsunami resulted in the death of 190 people. It was possible to reduce mortality due to the timely detection of a threat. However, California suffered $200 million in damages. The destruction stretched from Canada all the way to California.
Good day everyone, I am very happy to welcome those who are interested not only in games or shopping, but also in world problems. It is about the problems associated with cataclysms that I wanted to talk about today.
World catastrophes, one way or another, affect the life of every person on the planet. And it does not matter in which part of the earth an earthquake, flood or volcanic eruption occurred. Some people always suffer, while others sympathize and try to help.
Unfortunately, scientists cannot fully understand how to predict a terrible event. Take, for example, an earthquake. This is an extremely dangerous natural phenomenon that cannot be predicted. The calculation of scientists made it possible to learn about future tremors of the earth's surface only a few hours before they begin.
But even here there may be a danger in the calculations, because the earthquake can be much stronger than predicted. Animals are the most effective predictor of impending disaster. Many say that animals are closer to the earth and more connected to it. So love your pets and they can save your life.
The danger of earth tremors lies in wait for those residents whose homes are located in mountainous areas. After all, the mountains are a kind of scars in the places where the titanic plates are broken. Fortunately, most earthquakes take place at the bottom of the oceans, but this also poses a danger to coastal areas of residence. It is almost impossible to escape from the strongest tsunami.
The strongest earthquake in the history of mankind: the tragedy in Chile
The most powerful earthquake in the history of mankind occurred precisely off the Pacific coast and practically destroyed Chile in 1960. According to various sources, the strength of the shocks on the ocean floor at the epicenter was about 10 points. It is worth looking at the consequences of the wave that demolished large coastal cities almost to the ground.
The tsunami that covered Chile destroyed not only residential areas, but also industry, everything had to be rebuilt. At that time, it cost more than 400 billion dollars.
The strongest earthquakes in the world on the Richter scale: top 5
It is impossible to predict where the next earthquake will occur. How many people will get hurt. It is only known that over the last hundred years the number of the strongest catastrophes in the history of mankind has increased.
List of known largest earthquakes:
- One of the largest inland earthquakes is the Kemin earthquake. It took place in Kazakhstan in 1911, then, with an amplitude of 9 points, it almost completely collapsed Almaty city.
- The next most destructive earthquake, after the Chilean one, happened in Alaska in 1964. Due to the low population density in this part of the world, there were only 9 people affected by the shocks of 9.5 balls, plus 190 drowned. But because of the huge wave, the coasts of Canada, Japan and California were seriously affected.
- In 1952, a 9-magnitude earthquake took place off the coast of Kamchatka. And the risen giant wave with a height of 17 meters demolished Severo-Kurilsk almost completely, a third of the inhabitants of the city and nearby settlements died as a result.
- The Indian tsunami that drowned most of the coastal cities of Indonesia, Thailand, southern India and Sri Lanka in 2004. Earth tremors began near the island Sumatra. Then the disaster took the lives of more than 300 thousand people.
- But the most catastrophic earthquake is considered Japanese. Although it took place quite recently in 2011, it brought not only destruction to their country. The tsunami wave that damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant was a consequence of the earth tremors. Echoes of that catastrophe are still heard today. And the radioactive cloud hung over the ocean for a long time, and the whole world watched its movement with bated breath.
Is it possible to prepare for underground unrest? Can you predict what the consequences will be? Is there salvation and where to look for it?
A lot of questions arise in a person when he thinks about it. The problem of today's man is not that he is not ready for disasters, he just does not think about them. After watching TV and sympathizing with the victims, we forget about everything. We do not think that our country is also located at the intersection of titanic plate faults, and in Russia, as nowhere else, the probability of earthquakes is high.
Some theory about earthquakes
Due to modern scientific achievements, scientists have suggested that tremors occur almost every day in the world. We do not feel most of them, due to the great depth of the epicenter or its small strength.
A person will feel shocks or a wave only starting from 3 balls, before that the force is so weak that only devices can catch the impulse. Some believe that there are many more earthquakes during the full moon.
The causes of underground unrest can be not only natural, but also caused by man. Regular weapons testing or mining disrupts the landscape and structure of the earth's surface. The most dangerous human impact is mountainous terrain adjustments. As you know, this is where most earthquakes occur.
Only it is difficult for people to prove that they are wrong and they need to change their way of life so that after us the descendants live in peace for more than one thousand years.
World wars and human cruelty towards brothers lead to the fact that cataclysms began to occur more and more often. After all, the earth is also a living and intelligent organism ...
Imagine yourself in her place, not only are they constantly pumping out oil, extracting metals, they are also fighting, destroying not only people, but also the environment, poisoning with lead and burning thousands of kilometers of land.
As a result, the soil dies, and with it all the plants. There are so many beautiful things in the world, is it possible that a person will never grow up. A rational being cannot treat nature so disrespectfully.
How to behave during an earthquake
The rules of conduct during earthly talk, each of us went through at school. Even regular training alarms are preparation both physically and psychologically.
How can an ordinary person react when an earthquake starts? The first is fear, and it’s good if you pull yourself together quickly enough, orient yourself and go to a safe distance from the surrounding buildings, which can collapse if the shocks are strong.
But when panic sets in, it most often occurs in office buildings, where workers are under stress every day. And then a catastrophe happened, running around instead of a constructive evacuation begins.
At the first shocks, it is worth hiding under the table, then when a wall or ceiling collapses, you will suffer less, and it will be easier for rescuers to find. If you decide to leave the building, then you should do it at the first shocks until they become stronger or the surrounding objects begin to fall.
Try to stay along walls without windows. When shaking, glass cracks in the first place and you can get hurt badly. As soon as you get out of the building, move to a safe distance. You should not drive a car, due to electronics, the car can simply be blocked, and you along with it.
If you live in an earthquake-prone area, then you should prepare a bag or backpack with the essentials for the first time. You can also put documents and some money there. This is convenient in a critical situation, you can immediately grab and run out of a dangerous room.
12 points on the Richter scale: adventure project "On the Edge" and learn a lot of new things! See you soon!
Text - agent Q.
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Earthquake survivors are captured by the most mythological images. Swiss psychologist K.G. Jung, who survived a rather strong earthquake, wrote that it seemed to him that he was on the back of a giant monster that was shaking its skin. After reading these lines, I thought about which earthquakes were the strongest in the period of human history. I dug around on the web and found it.
Here is a scale that measures the strength of an earthquake.
- 1 point - Not felt. It is noted only by seismic instruments.
- 2 points - Very weak tremors. marked by seismic instruments. Felt only by individuals who are in a state of complete rest in the upper floors of buildings, and very sensitive pets.
– 3 points – Weak. Only felt inside some buildings, like a jolt from a truck.
– 4 points – Moderate. It is recognized by the slight rattling and vibration of objects, dishes and window panes, the creaking of doors and walls. Inside a building, shaking is felt by most people.
– 5 points – Pretty strong. In the open air it is felt by many, inside the houses - by everyone. General shaking of the building, furniture swaying. The pendulums of the clock stop. Cracks in window panes and plaster. The awakening of the sleepers. It is felt by people outside buildings, thin branches of trees sway. Doors slam.
– 6 points – Strong. Felt by everyone. Many run out into the street in fear. Pictures fall from the walls. Separate pieces of plaster break off.
– 7 points – Very strong. Damage (cracks) in the walls of stone houses. Anti-seismic, as well as wooden and wicker buildings remain unscathed.
– 8 points – Destructive. Cracks on steep slopes and on damp soil. Monuments move or topple over. Houses are badly damaged.
- 9 points - Devastating. Severe damage and destruction of stone houses. Old wooden houses are crooked.
- 10 points - Destroying. Cracks in the soil are sometimes up to a meter wide. Landslides and landslides from the slopes. Destruction of stone buildings. Curvature of railroad tracks.
- 11 points - Catastrophe. Wide cracks in the surface layers of the earth. Numerous landslides and collapses. Stone houses are almost completely destroyed. Severe bending and buckling of railway rails.
– 12 points – Strong catastrophe. Changes in the soil reach enormous proportions. Numerous cracks, collapses, landslides. The emergence of waterfalls, ponding on lakes, deviation of the flow of rivers. None of the buildings survive.
The most destructive earthquakes.
Great China Earthquake happened in Shaanxi Province on January 23, 1556. It claimed the lives of approximately 830,000 people - more than any other earthquake in human history.
Some areas of Shaanxi were completely depopulated, in others about 60% of the population died. Such a number of victims was due to the fact that most of the population of the province lived in loess caves, which collapsed after the first shocks or were flooded by mudflows.
One of the eyewitnesses later warned his descendants that with the onset of an earthquake, one should not try to get out of the house into fresh air: “When a bird's nest falls from a tree, the eggs often remain unharmed.” His words indicate that many died trying to leave their homes.
The foundations of some of the surviving pagodas went underground by 2 meters.
1692 Jamaican earthquake. About 7.2 on the magnitude scale. Much of the city, known as the "treasury of the West Indies" and "one of the most immoral places on earth", was flooded by the sea. About 2,000 people died as a result of the earthquake and tsunami, and about 3,000 more from injuries and spreading diseases. Some of the survivors began to loot, the city is mired in crime. Before the earthquake, the city had 6,500 inhabitants in about 2,000 buildings, many of which were one-story brick buildings that stood right on the sand. During the tremors, the sand liquefied and the buildings with the residents "flowed" into the sea. More than twenty ships that were in the harbor were overturned, and one ship, the frigate "Swan", ended up on the roofs of former houses as a result of the tsunami. During the main shock, waves of sand were formed - crevasses opened and closed, squeezing many people, and after the earthquake ended, the sand hardened and imprisoned many victims.
The city was partially restored, but after a fire in 1703 and a hurricane in 1722, the inhabitants left it.
Earthquake in Kolkata- 300 thousand dead.
Great Lisbon earthquake happened November 1, 1755, at 9:20 am. It plunged into ruins Lisbon - the capital of Portugal, and was one of the most destructive and deadly earthquakes in history, killing more than 100 thousand people in 6 minutes. The seismic shocks were followed by a fire and a tsunami, which caused especially a lot of trouble due to the coastal location of Lisbon.
Ruins of a nunnery destroyed by an earthquake in Lisbon
Of the 275 thousand people who inhabited the city, more than 90 thousand died. Another 10 thousand died on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco. 85% of the buildings were destroyed, including the famous palaces, libraries, as well as the best examples of characteristic 16th century Portuguese architecture. Buildings that were not destroyed by the earthquake became prey to fire.
The strongest earthquake in the world of ever recorded killed on August 15, 1950 1000 lives in Assam (India).
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 - that in America. One way or another, seismologists are not able to say how strong the earthquake was, so they attributed it to a force of 9 points.
Catastrophic aftershocks shook the earth for five days, opening gaps and closing them again, sending fountains of hot steam and superheated liquid into the sky, swallowing entire villages. Dams were damaged, cities and towns were flooded. Local residents fled from the elements on the trees. According to newspaper reports, one of the women managed to give birth to a child right on a tree.
Villagers in India compared the noise of an approaching earthquake to the tread of a herd of elephants. British manufacturers described its approach as the roar of an express train entering a tunnel.
The relatively small number of victims is due only to the deserted area. I have absolutely no idea if - God forbid - such tremors shook the populated cities.
Great Kanto Earthquake- a strong earthquake (magnitude 8.3), September 1, 1923 occurred in Japan. The name was given to the province of Kanto, which suffered the most damage. In the West, it is also called Tokyo or Yokohama, since it almost completely destroyed Tokyo and Yokohama. The earthquake caused the death of several hundred thousand people and caused significant material damage. In terms of the scale of destruction and the number of victims, this earthquake is the most destructive in the history of Japan.
The earthquake covered an area of about 56,000 km². The main destructive impact was in the southeastern part of the Kanto province. As a result of the earthquake and the fires that followed, Tokyo, Yokohama, Yokosuka and 8 other smaller cities were practically destroyed. In Tokyo, more than 300,000 buildings (out of a million) were destroyed by fire alone; in Yokohama, 11,000 buildings were destroyed by tremors and another 59,000 burned down. Another 11 cities were less seriously affected.
The official death toll is 174,000, with another 542,000 missing, and over a million left homeless. The total number of victims was about 4 million.
Ruined Yokohama
Earthquake in Messina (Sicily)- December 28, 1908 - 83,000 people died, turned into ruins of the city of Messina
This natural disaster with a magnitude of 7.5 on the Richter scale broke out at 5:20 am on December 28. The sleeping people were taken by surprise, and many perished under the rubble of their own homes. Two shocks were recorded: a preliminary, weak one, which lasted approximately 20 seconds, and the main oscillation, which lasted without interruption for 30 seconds. The ships sent to help arrived in the disaster area two days later. According to the stories of the sailors, they had difficulty orienting themselves, as the coastline had changed beyond recognition. In many places, vast areas of land disappeared under water. The surviving townspeople and employees of the local branch of the Red Cross set about organizing first aid stations and began to collect the bodies of the dead. Over time, ships came not only from other places in Italy, but also from other countries, including America.
Ashgabat earthquake- an earthquake that occurred on the night of October 5-6, 1948 at 1:14 local time in the city of Ashgabat (Turkmenistan). Considered one of the most destructive earthquakes, the strength in the epicentral region was 9-10 points.
As a result of the earthquake in Ashgabat, 90-98% of all buildings were destroyed. According to various estimates, from 1/2 to 2/3 of the city's population died (that is, from 60 to 110 thousand people, since information about the number of inhabitants is inaccurate). In 1948, extremely little information was reported in the official Soviet press, it was said only that "the earthquake caused human casualties." Later, information about the victims was not published in the media at all.
Tangshan earthquake- A natural disaster that occurred in the Chinese city of Tangshan (Hebei Province) on July 28, 1976. The earthquake had a magnitude of 8.2 on the Richter scale and is considered the largest natural disaster of the 20th century. According to official data from the PRC, the death toll was 242,419, but some estimates reach up to 800,000 victims. Suspicion of the underestimation of the official Chinese data is supported by the fact that according to them, the magnitude of the earthquake was indicated as only 7.8 points.
At 3:42 local time, the city was destroyed by a strong earthquake, the epicenter of which was at a depth of 22 km. Destruction also took place in Tianjin and in Beijing, located just 140 km to the west. As a result of the earthquake, about 5.3 million houses were destroyed or damaged so much that it was no longer possible to live in them.
Spitak earthquake (also known as Leninakan)- a catastrophic earthquake (magnitude 7.2) that occurred on December 7, 1988 at 10:41 Moscow time in the north-west of Armenia. As a result of the earthquake, the city of Spitak and 58 villages were completely destroyed; the cities of Leninakan, Stepanavan, Kirovakan and more than 300 other settlements were partially destroyed. At least 25 thousand people died, 514 thousand people were left homeless. In total, the earthquake covered about 40% of the territory of Armenia. Due to the risk of an accident, the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant was stopped. All the republics of the former USSR and many countries of the world helped the victims.
Ruined Spitak
Underwater earthquake in the Indian Ocean, which occurred on December 26, 2004 at 00:58:53 UTC (07:58:53 local time) was the cause of the tsunami, recognized as the deadliest natural disaster in modern history. The magnitude of the earthquake, according to various estimates, ranged from 9.1 to 9.3, this is the second or third most powerful earthquake in the history of observation.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located in the Indian Ocean, north of the island of Simeulue, located near 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 led to huge destruction and a huge number of dead people, including in Port Elizabeth in South Africa, 6900 km from the epicenter.
Died, according to various estimates, from 225,000 to 300,000 people. According to the USGS, the death toll is 227,898. The true death toll is unlikely to ever be known, because many of the bodies were swept into the sea.
Earthquake in Haiti 2010 - a major earthquake in the island of Haiti, which occurred on January 12 at 16:53 local time (UTC-5). The epicenter was located 22 km southwest of the capital of the Republic of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, the hypocenter was at a depth of 13 km. After the main shock of magnitude 7, many aftershocks were recorded, of which 15 were with magnitudes greater than 5.
According to official data, as of March 18, 2010, the death toll was 222,570 people, 311,000 people were injured, and 869 people were missing. Material damage is estimated at 5.6 billion euros.
Port-au-Prince after the earthquake
Earthquake off the east coast of the island of Honshu in Japan happened on March 11, 2011 at 14:46 local time (at 8:46 Moscow time). 
The earthquake occurred in the Western Pacific Ocean, 130 km east of the city of Sendai on the island of Honshu. According to the US Geological Survey, the epicenter was 373 km from Tokyo. After the main shock of magnitude 9.0 at 14:46 local time, a series of aftershocks followed: magnitude 7.0 at 15:06, 7.4 at 15:15 and 7.2 at 15:26 local time. In total, after the main shock, more than four hundred aftershocks with a magnitude of 4.5 or more magnitudes were registered. (Aftershocks are shocks that continue to shake the ground after the main earthquake).
According to American scientists, because of the earthquake, the Earth's axis of rotation has shifted by 15 cm towards 139 degrees east longitude. American scientists also reported that the time of day was reduced by 1.6 microseconds. The island of Honshu itself, closest to the epicenter, moved 2.4 meters.
According to official data, the strongest earthquake in 140 years in the history of Japan and the tsunami that followed it claimed the lives of 4.5 thousand people. Japanese authorities have reported that the total number of victims could rise to 10,000 people or even more.
Due to tremors, the Fukushima nuclear reactor was partially destroyed. At some point, the level of radiation around the reactor exceeded the norm by 400 times ...
Most affected cities:
Rikuzentakata - almost the entire city in Iwate Prefecture was washed away, about 5 thousand houses went under water
Minamisanriku - missing 9.5 thousand inhabitants.
Sendai - water flooded the territory at a distance of 10 km from the sea coast. About 650 people are listed as missing.
Yamada - about 7200 houses went under water.
Eqecat, a disaster modeling company, estimates that earthquakes, tsunamis and fires will cause at least $100 billion in damages, including $20 billion in damage to buildings and $40 billion in damage to infrastructure.
TASS-DOSIER. On November 12, 2017, a strong earthquake hit the border between Iran and Iraq. One after the other, two strikes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.3, respectively, were recorded. The main blow fell on the provinces of Kermanshah and Ilam in western Iran.
As a result, according to preliminary data, more than 350 people died and more than 3,000 were injured.
The TASS-DOSIER editors have prepared material on the ten largest earthquakes of the 20th and 21st centuries. When compiling the rating, the officially confirmed death toll was taken into account.
January 12, 2010 at 21:53 UTC, Haiti was struck by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake. Its hypocenter was in the sea, 25 km southwest of the capital city of 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. The economic damage amounted to $7.9 billion.
July 27, 1976 At 19:42 UTC, an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 struck the Chinese mining town of Tangshan, Hebei Province, 150 km east of Beijing. According to official figures, 242 thousand 769 people died (in the media it was suggested that the real number of victims could reach 800 thousand). Tangshan turned into ruins, destruction was also recorded in Tianjin and Beijing. In the region, all roads and about 400 km of railroad tracks were damaged, which made it difficult for rescue teams to arrive in the city. The economic damage amounted to $2 billion.
December 26, 2004 at 00:58 UTC, an earthquake hit the Indian Ocean. According to scientists, its magnitude ranged from 9.1 to 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 died in 14 countries, about 2.2 million were affected. The earthquake and tsunami caused numerous destruction, the economic damage to Thailand is estimated at $5 billion, India - $1.6 billion, Maldives - $1.3 billion, Indonesia - $4.5 billion, Sumatra - $675 million.
December 16, 1920 At 12:06 UTC, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck in the Chinese province of Gansu. The epicenter was in Haiyuan County. The fluctuations of the 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 collapses, which buried entire villages under them. Numerous cracks formed on the surface, the length of the largest reached 200 km. Several rivers have changed 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 homes.
September 1, 1923 At 2:58 UTC, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake hit Japan, dubbed the "Great Kanto Earthquake". The hypocenter was located 90 km southwest of Tokyo in the sea near Oshima Island. Many settlements were subjected to huge destruction, including Tokyo, Yokohama, Yokosuka. Fires broke out in the cities, and in one of the squares in Tokyo alone, about 40,000 people suffocated from smoke. A 12-meter tsunami formed in Sagami Bay, which devastated coastal settlements.
In total, about 143 thousand people died, 542 thousand went missing, more than 694 thousand dwellings were destroyed or burned down. Material losses were estimated at $4.5 billion, which at that time amounted to two annual budgets of the country and five times the expenses of Japan in the Russo-Japanese War. The "Great Kanto Earthquake" is the most destructive in Japanese history.
October 5, 1948 At 20:12 UTC, an earthquake of magnitude 7.3 occurred in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan SSR). As a result, 90-98% of all buildings were destroyed, and the cities of Batir and Bezmein were also heavily damaged. In Soviet times, the exact number of victims was not called; in 2010, the President of Turkmenistan said that the earthquake claimed the lives of 176,000 residents of the republic, including 89% of Ashgabat residents. Since 1995, October 6 has been celebrated in Turkmenistan as the Day of Remembrance.
May 12, 2008 At 06:28 UTC, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake hit Sichuan, China. The epicenter was located in Wenchuan County, 80 km northwest of the provincial capital, Chengdu. The tremors were felt in Beijing (1500 km from the epicenter) and Shanghai (1700 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. The total economic damage is estimated at $86 billion.
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 died, 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. The shocks were also felt in China, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.
December 28, 1908 at 4:20 UTC in the city of Messina on the island of Sicily (Italy), an earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck. The epicenter was located in the Strait of Messina between Sicily and the Apennine Peninsula. 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 the analysis of the rubble and assistance to the population.
May 31, 1970 at 20:23 UTC, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck near Peru. The hypocenter was located in the Peru-Chile Trench in the Pacific Ocean, 25 km east of Chimbote, a major Peruvian fishing port. From the tremors from Mount Huascaran (height 6768 m), a glacier broke off, which caused a giant landslide of stones, ice and mud about 1.5 km long and more than 750 m wide. It collapsed at a speed of more than 200 km / h on the cities of Yungai, Karaz Ranrairka, destroying dozens of villages along the way. As a result of the earthquake and the landslide, about 70 thousand people died or went missing, more than 157 thousand were injured, 800 thousand were left homeless. The damage amounted to about $ 260 million.
