During its many thousands of history, mankind has experienced earthquakes that, in terms of their destructiveness, can be attributed to catastrophes of a universal scale. The causes of earthquakes are not fully understood, and no one can say with certainty why they occur, where the next disaster will be and what strength.
In this article, we have collected the most powerful earthquakes in human history, measured by magnitude. You need to know about this value that it takes into account the amount of energy released during an earthquake, and is distributed from 1 to 9.5.
8.2 points
Although the magnitude of the 1976 Tien Shan earthquake was only 8.2, it can rightfully be considered one of the most destructive earthquakes in human history. According to the official version, this terrible incident claimed the lives of more than 250 thousand people, and according to the unofficial one, the number of deaths is approaching 700 thousand and is quite justified, because 5.6 million houses were completely destroyed. The event formed the basis for Feng Xiaogang's film "Catastrophe".
Earthquake in Portugal in 1755 8.8 points
The earthquake that occurred in Portugal back in 1755 on All Saints Day refers to one and s the most powerful and tragic disasters in the history of mankind. Just imagine that in just 5 minutes Lisbon turned into ruins, and almost a hundred thousand people died! But the victims of the earthquake did not end there. The disaster caused a severe fire and tsunami that raged on the coast of Portugal. In general, the earthquake provoked internal unrest, which led to a change in the country's foreign policy. This catastrophe marked the beginning of seismology. The magnitude of the earthquake is estimated at 8.8 points.
9 points
Another devastating earthquake in Chile happened in 2010. One of the most destructive and major earthquakes in the history of mankind over the past 50 years has caused maximum damage: thousands of victims, millions of people homeless, dozens of destroyed settlements and cities. The Chilean regions of Bio-Bio and Maule suffered the greatest damage. This catastrophe is significant in that the destruction occurred not only because of, but also the earthquake itself brought considerable harm, tk. its epicenter was on the mainland.
Earthquake in North America in 1700 9 points
In 1700, as a result of strong seismic activity in North America, the coastline was changed. The disaster took place in the Cascade Mountains, on the border between the United States and Canada and, according to various estimates, was at least 9 points in magnitude. Little is known about the victims of one of the most powerful earthquakes in world history. As a result of the catastrophe, a huge tsunami wave reached the shores of Japan, the destruction of which is still mentioned in Japanese literature.
2011 east coast earthquake 9 points
Just a few years ago, in 2011, the east coast of Japan was shaken by the most powerful earthquake in human history. In 6 minutes of a 9-point disaster, more than 100 km of the seabed was raised 8 meters in height, and the ensuing tsunami hit the northern islands of Japan. The notorious Fukushima nuclear power plant was partially damaged, which provoked a radioactive release, the consequences of which are still felt. The number of victims is called 15 thousand, but the true figures are not known.
9 points
It is difficult to surprise the inhabitants of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan with tremors - these regions are located in the fault zone of the earth's crust. But the most powerful earthquake in the history of Kazakhstan and all mankind happened in 1911, when the city of Almaty was almost completely destroyed. The catastrophe was named the Kemin earthquake, which is recognized as one of the strongest inland earthquakes of the 20th century. The epicenter of the events fell on the valley of the Bolshoi Kemin River. In this area, huge ruptures of the relief were formed, with a total length of 200 km. In some places, in these gaps, whole houses are buried in the disaster zone.
9 points
Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands are seismically active regions and they will not be surprised by earthquakes. However, residents still remember the disaster of 1952. One of the most devastating earthquakes that mankind remembers began on November 4 in the Pacific Ocean, 130 km from the coast. Terrible destruction was brought about by the tsunami, which was formed after the earthquake. Three huge waves, the height of the largest reaching 20 meters, completely destroyed Severo-Kurilsk and damaged many settlements. The waves came in at intervals of an hour. The inhabitants knew about the first wave and waited for it on the hills, after which they went down to their villages. The second wave, the largest one that no one expected, caused the greatest damage and claimed the lives of more than 2 thousand people.
9.3 points
On March 27, 1964, Good Friday, all 47 US states trembled from the Alaska earthquake. The epicenter of the disaster was in the Gulf of Alaska, where the Pacific and North American plates meet. One of the most powerful natural disasters in the memory of mankind, with a magnitude of 9.3 points, claimed relatively few lives - 9 people out of 130 victims in Alaska died and another 23 lives were claimed by the tsunami that followed the tremors. From the cities, Anchorage, located 120 kilometers from the epicenter of events, was badly damaged. However, destruction swept along the coastline from Japan to California.
9.3 points
Literally 11 years ago, one of the most powerful recent earthquakes in human history happened in the Indian Ocean. At the very end of 2004, an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.3 points a few kilometers off the coast of the Indonesian city of Sumatra provoked the formation of a monstrous tsunami that wiped out part of the city from the face of the earth. 15-meter waves have caused damage to cities in Sri Lanka, Thailand, South Africa and southern India. Nobody names the exact number of victims, but it is estimated that from 200 to 300 thousand people died, several million more people were left homeless.
9.5 points
The strongest earthquake in human history occurred in 1960 in Chile. According to expert estimates, it had a maximum magnitude of 9.5 points. The disaster began in the small town of Valdivia. The earthquake in the Pacific Ocean created a tsunami, its 10-meter waves raging along the coast, damaging settlements located by the sea. The scale of the tsunami reached such proportions that the inhabitants of the Hawaiian city of Hilo, 10 thousand kilometers from Valdivia, felt its destructive power. Giant waves even reached the shores of Japan and the Philippines.
Strong earthquakes have occurred throughout human history, with the earliest recorded nearly 2,000 years BC. But it is only in the last century that our technological capabilities have reached the point where the impact of these disasters can be fully measured.
Our ability to study earthquakes has made it possible to avoid catastrophic casualties, as in the case of a tsunami, when people have the opportunity to evacuate from a potentially dangerous area. Unfortunately, the warning system does not always work. There are several examples of earthquakes where the greatest damage was caused by the subsequent tsunami and not by the earthquake itself. People have improved building standards, improved early warning systems, but have not been able to fully protect themselves from disasters. There are many different ways to assess the strength of an earthquake. Some people rely on the Richter scale, others on the number of deaths and injuries, or even the monetary value of damaged property.
This list of the 12 most powerful earthquakes brings all of these methods together in one.
Lisbon earthquake
The Great Lisbon Earthquake struck the Portuguese capital on November 1, 1755 and caused great destruction. They were compounded by the fact that it was All Saints Day and thousands of people attended Mass in church. Churches, like most other buildings, could not withstand the elements and collapsed, killing people. Subsequently, a 6 meter high tsunami struck. Roughly 80,000 have died in the devastating fires. Many famous writers and philosophers have dealt with the Lisbon earthquake in their works. For example, Emmanuel Kant, who tried to find a scientific explanation for what happened 
California earthquake
A major earthquake struck California in April 1906. Entrenched in history as the San Francisco earthquake, it damaged a much wider area. Downtown San Francisco was destroyed by a huge fire that followed. Initial figures cited 700 to 800 deaths, although researchers say the actual death toll was over 3,000. More than half of San Francisco's population lost their homes as 28,000 buildings were destroyed by the earthquake and fires. 
Earthquake of messina
One of the largest earthquakes in Europe struck Sicily and southern Italy in the early morning of December 28, 1908, killing approximately 120,000 people. The main epicenter of the damage was Messina, practically destroyed by the disaster. The 7.5-magnitude earthquake was accompanied by a tsunami that hit the coast. A recent study suggested that the size of the waves was so huge due to an underwater landslide. Much of the damage was due to the poor quality of buildings in Messina and other parts of Sicily. 
Haiyuan earthquake
One of the deadliest earthquakes on the list occurred in December 1920 with an epicenter at Haiyuan Chinha. At least 230,000 people died. With a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale, the quake destroyed virtually every home in the region, causing significant damage to major cities like Lanzhou, Taiyuan, and Xi'an. Incredibly, the waves from the earthquake were visible even off the coast of Norway. According to a recent study, Haiyuan was the strongest earthquake in China during the 20th century. Researchers also questioned the official death toll, suggesting that there could have been more than 270,000. This number represents 59 percent of the population in the Haiyuan region. The Haiyuan earthquake is considered one of the most destructive natural disasters in history. 
Chilean earthquake
A total of 1,655 were killed and 3,000 were injured following the 9.5 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile in 1960. Seismologists called it the strongest earthquake ever to occur. 2 million people were left homeless, and economic losses amounted to $ 500 million. The force of the quake triggered a tsunami, with casualties in remote locations such as Japan, Hawaii and the Philippines. In some parts of Chile, waves have moved the ruins of buildings 3 kilometers inland. The violent Chilean earthquake of 1960 caused a giant rip in the earth, stretching 1,000 kilometers. 
Alaska earthquake
On March 27th, 1964, a powerful 9.2 earthquake struck the Prince William Sound area of Alaska. As the second strongest recorded earthquake, it resulted in a relatively low number of deaths (192 deaths). Nevertheless, significant property damage took place in Anchorage, and all 47 states of the United States felt the tremors. Due to significant improvements in research technology, the Alaska earthquake provided scientists with valuable seismic data, allowing for a much better understanding of the nature of such phenomena. 
Kobe earthquake
In 1995, Japan was struck by one of the most powerful earthquakes when a 7.2-magnitude impact struck the Kobe region in southern central Japan. Although not the most severe ever observed, it was devastating for a large segment of the population - approximately 10 million people living in a densely populated area. A total of 5,000 were killed and 26,000 were injured. The US Geological Survey estimated damage at $ 200 billion, with infrastructure and buildings destroyed. 
Sumatra and the Andaman earthquake
The tsunami that hit all countries of the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004 killed at least 230,000 people. It was triggered by a large underwater earthquake off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. His strength was measured at 9.1 points on the Richter scale. The previous earthquake in Sumatra happened in 2002. It is believed that this was a preliminary seismic shock, and several aftershocks occurred during 2005. The main reason for the huge number of casualties was the lack of any early warning system in the Indian Ocean, capable of detecting the impending Tsunami. To the shores of some countries, where tens of thousands of people died, a gigantic wave went for at least several hours. 
Kashmir earthquake
Co-ruled by Pakistan and India, Kashmir was hit by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake in October 2005. At least 80,000 people died and 4 million were left homeless. Rescue efforts were hampered by conflicts between the two countries fighting over the territory. The situation was exacerbated by the rapid onset of winter and the destruction of many roads in the region. Eyewitnesses spoke of entire areas of cities literally sliding off the cliffs due to the destructive elements. 
Disaster in Haiti
Port-au-Prince was hit by an earthquake on January 12, 2010, leaving half of the capital's population homeless. The death toll is still disputed and ranges from 160,000 to 230,000. A recent report drew attention to the fact that by the fifth anniversary of the disaster, 80,000 people are still living on the streets. The impact of the earthquake has resulted in dire poverty in Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Many buildings in the capital were not built in accordance with seismic requirements, and the people of the completely destroyed country had no means of livelihood other than international assistance. 
Tohoku earthquake in Japan
The largest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl was caused by a 9-point earthquake off the east coast of Japan on March 11, 2011. Scientists estimate that in a 6-minute earthquake of colossal force, 108 kilometers of the seabed rose to a height of 6 to 8 meters. This caused a large tsunami that damaged the coast of the northern islands of Japan. The Fukushima nuclear power plant has been badly damaged and attempts to rescue the situation are still ongoing. The official death toll is 15,889, although 2,500 are still missing. Many areas have become uninhabitable due to nuclear radiation. 
Christchurch
The worst natural disaster in New Zealand's history claimed 185 lives on 22 February 2011 when Christchurch was struck by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake. More than half of the deaths were caused by the collapse of the CTV building, which turned out to be built in violation of seismic regulations. Thousands of other houses were also destroyed, among them the city's cathedral. The government has declared a state of emergency in the country so that the rescue work goes as quickly as possible. More than 2,000 people were injured and reconstruction costs exceeded $ 40 billion. But in December 2013, the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce announced that only 10 percent of the city had been rebuilt three years after the tragedy. 
The history of mankind remembers a lot of cataclysms, the most dangerous of which are earthquakes for good reasons. The power of such natural incidents is assessed using the Richter scale. We propose to recall the top 10 strongest earthquakes in the history of the Earth. These are the most devastating seismic threats that have claimed the lives of millions of people. At the same time, humanity to this day remembers the dates of terrible events, which even modern technology and progress did not allow to avoid. And so, let's proceed to the review:
TOP 10 most destructive earthquakes
It is worth noting that the strongest earthquakes in the history of the world were recorded in Chile. The last of these happened in 2010. The power of magnetic impact on the Richter scale is estimated at 8.8 points. The epicenter of the threat was in the city of Bio-Bio Concepcion. The residents of this settlement and the city of Maule were most affected. A total of 540 people died in Bio-Bio Concepcion. 64 people were injured on the territory of the second city. An estimated 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 the San Francisco area. The first wave even reached Japan. Fortunately, we managed to get by with a minimum of casualties due to the low population density. According to preliminary estimates, 1,500 people were affected who were left homeless. Due to the timely response of the rescuers, no fatalities were found. However, the damage was estimated at $ 1.5 million.
One of the strongest earthquakes in history is considered a seismic shock, recorded in 1923 near the island of Oshima. As a result of the incident, nearly three hundred thousand buildings in Tokyo and Yokohama were destroyed. 356 aftershocks occurred in two days. As a result, the waves reached a height of 12 meters. The tsunami took the lives of 174 thousand people. About 542 thousand are considered missing. In total, the damage is estimated at $ 4.5 billion.
As a result of this cataclysm, over 820 thousand people died. Paul the number of victims of this incident is considered the most serious in history. The catastrophe went down in history because of its duration. The horror lasted nearly three days. During this time, the entire component of Shaanxi province was destroyed, including 60% of the population of the settlement. The epicenter affected three provinces, including Feinan and Huaxian. The magnetic focus was recorded in the Wei Valley. The damage is difficult to assess due to the prescription of the events.
In 2011, a magnitude of 9.1 was registered on the island of Honshu. The strongest earthquake in the history of Japan occurred 130 kilometers from the city of Sendai. About 30 minutes later, the coast of the country was overtaken by the strongest tsunami, which destroyed 11 nuclear power units in 69 minutes. As a result, 6,000 people died. 2,000 Japanese are missing. In total, the country suffered $ 36.6 billion in damage. To this day, locals 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, the strongest tsunami destroyed the entire city. According to rough estimates, the wave took the lives of 2,336 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 seen. The weakest of them reached a height of 15 meters.
On December 26, an underwater earthquake with a scale of 9.3 points reached the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The source of the cataclysm provoked the most destructive tsunami in the history of mankind. Waves of 15 meters destroyed Sri Lanka, the south of India and the coast of Indonesia. Even the residents 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.
This happened in the northern part of the Gulf of Alaska. The power is 9.2 points. The epicenter of the worst earthquake was registered 120 kilometers from the western part of Seward. The aftershocks led to the destruction of Kodiak Island and the city of Valdese. The shock itself killed 9 people. The tsunami killed 190 people. It was possible to reduce mortality due to the timely detection of the threat. However, California suffered $ 200 million in damage. Destruction stretched from Canada to California.
This list presents the strongest earthquakes (on the Richter scale - magnitude) in the history of observations.
Assam, Tibet
1950, magnitude 8.6, epicenter Tibet
The earthquake caused very violent landslides that blocked entire rivers. Then, only in the eastern part of Tibet and in the state of Assam in India, approximately 1,500 people died.
North Sumatra, Indonesia
The earthquake killed more than 100 people and injured hundreds of varying degrees of severity, mostly on the island of Nias, in the eastern Indian Ocean. This is the second strongest earthquake to hit the island. A couple of months earlier, there was another one here, occupying the third place in the list of the strongest earthquakes in the world.
Rat Island, 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 terrible consequences, mainly due to the remoteness of the islands and due to the fact that these islands are uninhabited. Tsunami was recorded in Hawaii and even Japan.
coast of Ecuador, Colombia
1906, magnitude 8.8
The earthquake triggered 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 the tsunami that followed, 800,000 people were left homeless. In total, the earthquake affected more than 1.8 million people, and the damage caused exceeded $ 30 billion. The focus of the earthquake occurred on the border between the tectonic plates of Nazca and South America at a depth of 35 km.
Kamchatka, Russia (USSR)
The first scientifically recorded earthquake with a colossal 9 points on the Richter scale was recorded precisely on the eastern coast of Kamchatka, in the Pacific Ocean at about 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 in the western Pacific Ocean, 130 km east of Sendai city, caused a tsunami that killed 29,000 people and damaged several nuclear reactors.
west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia
The third most powerful earthquake occurred underwater in the Indian Ocean. It caused a giant tsunami, considered the deadliest natural disaster in 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 since many people were carried away by water into the ocean), another 1,700,000 were left without a roof.
Great Alaska Earthquake, USA
The earthquake and the ensuing tsunami took the lives of about 130 people. And the economic losses amounted to approximately $ 311 million. This terrible event fell on Good Friday.
The strongest earthquake in the history of observation was a magnitude of 9.5, creating a devastating tsunami, waves of which 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 roughly half a billion dollars.
TASS-DOSSIER. On November 12, 2017, a strong earthquake struck the border between Iran and Iraq. One after the other, two shocks were recorded with a magnitude of 7.2 and 7.3, respectively. 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, over 3 thousand were injured.
The editorial staff of TASS-DOSSIER prepared material about 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, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti. Its hypocenter was in the sea, 25 km south-west of the capital - the 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 with a magnitude of 7.5 occurred in the area of the Chinese mining city 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. 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 struck the Indian Ocean. According to scientists, its magnitude ranged from 9.1 to 9.3. The hypocenter was located 160 km west 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 shores 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 died, 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 in the Chinese province of Gansu there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8. The epicenter was in Haiyuan County. 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 landslides, which buried entire villages under them. Numerous cracks formed on the surface, the length of the largest one reaching 200 km. Several rivers have 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 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, including Tokyo, Yokohama, Yokosuka, have undergone tremendous destruction. Fires broke out in cities, only in Tokyo, in one of the squares, about 40 thousand people were suffocated from smoke. 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 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 higher than Japan's expenditures in the Russo-Japanese War. The Great Kanto Earthquake is the most destructive in the history of Japan.
October 5, 1948 At 20:12 UTC, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 occurred in Ashgabat (Turkmen SSR). As a result, 90-98% of all buildings were destroyed, the cities of Batir and Bezmein were also severely damaged. In Soviet times, the exact number of victims was not named; in 2010, the President of Turkmenistan said that the earthquake claimed the lives of 176 thousand residents of the republic, including 89% of Ashgabat residents. Since 1995, October 6 in Turkmenistan is celebrated as the Day of Remembrance.
May 12, 2008 At 6:28 UTC, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 occurred in the Chinese province of Sichuan. 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. The victims of the natural disaster were 87.6 thousand people, 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 there was an earthquake 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 has estimated the damage at $ 5-12 billion. The earthquake was the most destructive in South Asia over the past 100 years. As a result, a 100 km long fault was formed, along which almost all structures were destroyed. The tremors were also felt in the PRC, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.
December 28, 1908 at 4:20 UTC in the city of Messina on the island of Sicily (Italy) there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2. 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. Killed 72 thousand people (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 time were in the port of Augusta in Sicily, took part in the analysis of the rubble and helping the population.
May 31, 1970 at 20:23 UTC, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck near Peru. The hypocenter was located in the Peru-Chilean deep-sea trench in the Pacific Ocean, 25 km east of Chimbote, a major Peruvian fishing port. From tremors from Mount Huascaran (height 6768 m), a glacier fell, 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 Yungai, Karaz and Ranrairka, destroying dozens of villages along the way. As a result of the earthquake and landslide, about 70 thousand people died and went missing, more than 157 thousand were injured, 800 thousand were left homeless.The damage amounted to about $ 260 million.