GK: Which Was The Strongest Earthquake Ever Recorded? – News18

Last Updated:March 28, 2025, 18:21 IST

General Knowledge: The strongest earthquake ever measured by instruments, a tremendous Mw 9.5, struck off the coast of southern Chile on May 22, 1960.

A sudden slip on a geological fault line is what causes an earthquake. Although the tectonic plates are always moving slowly, friction causes them to become trapped at their edges. An earthquake occurs when the stress on the edge is greater than the friction, releasing energy in waves that go through the crust of the Earth and give us the shaking we experience.

Millions of earthquakes are thought to occur annually, according to the National Earthquake Information Centre. There are perhaps 30,000 of them that are capable of causing harm. On average, that equates to roughly 82 impactful earthquakes every year.

Each year, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that there are roughly 16 major earthquakes (magnitude 7 or greater). The Pacific Rim, which is the most seismically active region of the planet, has seen some of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded. Another, far more sinister name for it is The Ring of Fire.

Have you ever wondered about the strongest earthquake ever recorded? Details regarding it are below:

Valdivia Earthquake, 1960 – Magnitude 9.5

The most powerful earthquake ever recorded occurred on May 22, 1960, when a magnitude 9.5 earthquake shook Bio-Bio, Chile. The National Centres for Environmental Information (NCEI) said that this earthquake was only one of several that occurred over several days, rupturing a 600-mile stretch of fault.

The main earthquake also caused a tsunami, which was observed on shorelines across the Pacific Ocean and damaged a portion of the Chilean coast. Up to 5,700 people are said to have died as a result of the earthquakes and tsunami, while roughly 3,000 were hurt. In addition to the Chilean coast, this earthquake caused devastating damage in Hawaii, Japan, and the Philippines across the Pacific.

Apart from the number of fatalities in Chile, the earthquake left an estimated 2 million people homeless and caused $550 million in damages. In Hawaii, the tsunami killed 61 people, injured 43 others, and caused $23.5 million in damage. On the west coast of the United States, 1-2 m waves caused an additional $1 million in damage, two deaths, and four injuries. The tsunami struck Japan roughly a day after the earthquake, killing 139 people and destroying almost 3,000 dwellings. The tsunami in the Philippines claimed the lives of at least 21 individuals.

Because of the magnitude of this tsunami and the fact that it was the greatest earthquake ever measured by instruments, the International Tsunami Warning System of the Pacific (ITSU) was established in 1965.