We often forget that, unfortunately, the history of our world is almost never all sugar, spice, and everything nice. We don’t need to take into account only human intervention for that, as natural disasters have always been there in world history as well, reminding us all of how uncertain and dangerous life itself can be.
The strongest earthquakes ever recorded in modern history are measured using the Richter scale or its successor, meaning the moment magnitude scale. Let’s see some of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded:
Great Chilean Earthquake (Valdivia Earthquake) – May 22, 1960
- Magnitude 9.5
- Location: Chile
This earthquake was the strongest one ever recorded, as it reached a magnitude of 9.5. The tremor caused widespread devastation in Chile and even triggered tsunamis that inflicted damage across coastal regions as far away as Hawaii, the Philippines, and Japan.
Prince William Sound Earthquake (Alaska Earthquake) – March 27, 1964
- Magnitude: 9.2
- Location: Alaska, USA
The Akaska Earthquake struck the south-central regions of Alaska and caused extensive damage, including landslides, tsunamis, and liquefaction. This natural disaster remains the second-largest earthquake ever recorded in modern history.
Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami – December 26, 2004
- Magnitude: 9.1 – 9.3
- Location: Off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia
This undersea mega-thrust earthquake triggered a series of powerful tsunamis that affected coastal areas of a few countries that border the Indian Ocean. The event remains one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history.
Tohoku Earthquake (Great East Japan Earthquake) – March 11, 2011
- Magnitude: 9.0
- Location: Honshu, Japan
This earthquake, along with the resulting tsunami, caused widespread destruction in the northeastern part of Japan, including the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Unfortunately, this was one of the strongest earthquakes to ever his Japan.
Kamchatka Earthquake – Nov. 4, 1952
- Magnitude: 9.0
- Location: Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia (which was part of the Soviet Union)
The Kamchatka Earthquake struck in a sparsely populated region of the Soviet Union, minimizing casualties and damage. However, the event generated a huge tsunami that affected coastal areas from the Pacific Ocean.
Unfortunately or not, these earthquakes serve as stark reminders of the huge power and potential devastation associated with seismic events.
