Amid the aftermath of the Japan tsunami, the Mirror takes a look at some of the most powerful tremors ever recorded across the world – triggering huge devastation
Mirror’s Dan Warburton visits Bangkok after devastating earthquake damage
As the impact of the Japan tsunami rumbles on, the country is facing a catastrophic aftermath of the disaster. The huge magnitude earthquake hit the country and led to tsunamis there and Russia.
But while the country grapples with the new reality, it’s not the first time natural disasters have struck and taken the lives of innocent locals.
We take a look at some of the world’s most devastating and highest-recorded earthquakes that have led to mass destruction.
Ecuador, 1906
The huge 8.8 tremor that hit the South American country led to the loss of thousands of lives and caused massive destruction in Ecuador and neighbouring country . It also caused a powerful tsunami that affected the Pacific coast, reaching as far as New Zealand.
Chile, 1960
The biggest and most powerful earthquake to ever be recorded was in South America which reached a staggering magnitude of 9.5. The earthquake hit Chile in 1960 and had far reaching concequences that triggered catastrophic 25 metre tsunamis that affected several coastal towns and the combined earthquake and tsnuami left two million people homeless.
It also affected costal regions across the Pacific, with Japan and the Philippines feeling the impact too. It caused multiple fatalities and left a lasting impression on the global understanding of seismic activity and its potentials to cause widespread devastation.
While the earthquake was believed to kill just over 1,600 people, the tsunami that travelled across the Pacific Ocean in the hours after killed 61 people in Hawaii, nearly 140 in Japan, and 32 in the Philippines.
Kamchatka, Russia, 1952
The Kamchatka earthquake that hit the far east of Russia was reported as a 9.0 magnitude that caused huge damage to buildings in the region. It also caused a huge tsunami that also affeced the Kuril Islands and other parts of the Pacific Ocean.
Alaska, 1964
The second largest earthquake recorded was in North America, with a magnitude of 9.2. It resulted in serious damage to infrastructure and properties, especially in Alaska.
It also triggered a powerful tsunami, but despite it’s power, the loss of life was relatively low due to the region’s relatively sparse population and early warning systems.
Sumatra, Indonesia, 2004
This 2004 earthquake was reported as one of the deadliest natural disasters in history. The 9.1 magnitude quake not only caused devastation in Sumatra, it also caused a huge tsunami that affected other countries around the Indian Ocean and resulted in over 230,000 deaths acrosss 14 countries. The worst hit areas included Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand.
Chile, 2010
Just seven years on from the devastating earthquake that hit Chile leading to a catastrophic amount of deaths, the country was hit again with an 8.8 magnitute earthquake again. The 2010 tremor took the lives of more than 500 people and left thousands without homes. It also generated a tsunami that affected coastal areas, and caused aftershocks for weeks afterwards.
Tohoku, Japan, 2011
Another 9.1 magnitude earthquake that also triggered a catastrophic tsunamu off the coast of Japan caused thousands of deaths. The tsunami severely impacted the northeastern coast of Japan, and caused a widespread destruction and triggered the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, one of the worst nuclear accidents in history. Thousands of lives were lost, and the economic toll on Japan was huge.