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The 1960 Valdivia earthquake and tsunami (Spanish: Terremoto de Valdivia) or the Great Chilean earthquake (Gran terremoto de Chile) occurred on 22 May 1960.Most studies have placed it at 9.4–9.6 on the moment magnitude scale, [1] while some studies have placed the magnitude lower than 9.4, [6] [7] making it the most powerful earthquake ever recorded.
Probabilistic seismic hazard map. The earliest known earthquake in the U.S. state of California was documented in 1769 by the Spanish explorers and Catholic missionaries of the Portolá expedition as they traveled northward from San Diego along the Santa Ana River near the present site of Los Angeles. Ship captains and other explorers also ...
Chile lies in a region which is adjacent to the fast-moving Nazca plate, and has high tectonic activity.The records for earlier centuries are apparently incomplete. Of the world's 46 known earthquakes with M ≥ 8.5 since the year 1500, one-third occurred in Chile [citation needed] and are shown in the map to the side.
“Drop, Cover, Hold on. Protect yourself,” the U.S. Geological Survey warned moment before the eathquake struck.
The rupture length of the earthquake has been estimated at 200 km with a focal depth of about 40 km. [12] The focal mechanism has been assessed using contemporary seismograph records from five stations, which were published soon after the earthquake. The data suggest that the earthquake was probably along the subduction interface.
The color-coded map shows a range of earthquake probability across the U.S. Well known high-risk areas, such as California and Alaska, are coded in dark red, denoting the highest risk.
The 1939 Chillán earthquake occurred in south-central Chile on 24 January with a surface-wave magnitude of 8.3 [1] and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme).With a death toll of around 28,000, [4] compared to the 2,231–6,000 (official estimates vary greatly) [5] [6] of the Great Chilean earthquake of 1960, it is the single deadliest earthquake in Chile.
A full fault rupture, estimated to be around a 7.5 magnitude, could kill between 3,000 and 18,000 people, according to US Geological Survey and Southern California Earthquake Center.