In what century was there 1st earthquake? What is the earth's crust made of? Earthquake on the island of Haiti

An earthquake is a natural phenomenon that has destructive power and is unpredictable. disaster something that happens suddenly and unexpectedly. An earthquake is an underground tremors caused by tectonic processes occurring inside the earth; these are vibrations of the earth's surface that arise as a result of sudden ruptures and displacements of sections of the earth's crust. Earthquakes happen anywhere globe, at any time of the year, it is virtually impossible to determine where and when, and what strength the earthquake will be.

They not only destroy our homes and change natural landscape, but they also raze cities and destroy entire civilizations; they bring fear, grief and death to people.

How is the strength of an earthquake measured?

The intensity of tremors is measured by points. Earthquakes with a magnitude of 1-2 are detected only by special devices - seismographs.

With an earthquake strength of 3-4 points, vibrations are already detected not only by seismographs, but also by people - objects around us sway, chandeliers, flower pots, dishes clink, cabinet doors open, trees and buildings sway, and the person himself sways.

At 5 points, it shakes even more strongly, wall clocks stop, cracks appear on buildings, and plaster crumbles.

At 6-7 points, the vibrations are strong, objects fall, paintings hanging on the walls, cracks appear on window glass and on the walls of stone houses.

Earthquakes of magnitude 8-9 lead to the collapse of walls and the destruction of buildings and bridges, even stone houses are destroyed, and cracks form on the surface of the earth.

A magnitude 10 earthquake is more destructive - buildings collapse, pipelines and railway tracks break, landslides and collapses occur.

But the most catastrophic in terms of the force of destruction are earthquakes of 11-12 points.
In a matter of seconds, the natural landscape changes, mountains are destroyed, cities turn into ruins, huge holes form in the ground, lakes disappear, and new islands may appear in the sea. But the most terrible and irreparable thing during such earthquakes is that people die.

There is also another more accurate objective way of assessing the strength of an earthquake - by the magnitude of the vibrations caused by the earthquake. This quantity is called magnitude and determines the strength, that is, the energy of the earthquake, the most high value magnitude-9.

The source and epicenter of the earthquake

The force of destruction also depends on the depth of the earthquake source; the deeper the earthquake source occurs from the surface of the earth, the smaller destructive force carry seismic waves.

The source occurs at the site of displacement of giant rock masses and can be located at any depth from eight to eight hundred kilometers. It doesn’t matter at all whether the displacement is large or not, vibrations of the earth’s surface still occur and how far these vibrations will spread depends on their energy and strength.

The greater depth of the earthquake source reduces destruction on the earth's surface. The destructiveness of an earthquake also depends on the size of the source. If the vibrations of the earth's crust are strong and sharp, then catastrophic destruction occurs on the surface of the Earth.

The epicenter of an earthquake should be considered the point above the source, located on the surface of the earth. Seismic or shock waves diverge from the source in all directions; the further away from the source, the less intense the earthquake. Speed shock waves can reach eight kilometers per second.

Where do earthquakes most often occur?

Which corners of our planet are more earthquake-prone?

There are two zones where earthquakes occur most often. One belt begins at the Sunda Islands and ends at the Isthmus of Panama. This is the Mediterranean belt - it stretches from east to west, passes through mountains such as the Himalayas, Tibet, Altai, Pamir, Caucasus, Balkans, Apennines, Pyrenees and passes through the Atlantic.

The second belt is called the Pacific. This is Japan, the Philippines, and also covers Hawaiian and Kurile Islands, Kamchatka, Alaska, Iceland. Runs along the western shores of the Northern and South America, through the mountains of California, Peru, Chile, Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica.

There are also seismically active zones on the territory of our country. This North Caucasus, Altai and Sayan Mountains, Kuril Islands and Kamchatka, Chukotka and the Koryak Highlands, Sakhalin, Primorye and Amur Region, Baikal zone.

Earthquakes also often occur in our neighbors - in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia and other countries. And in other areas that are distinguished by seismic stability, tremors periodically occur.

The seismic instability of these belts is associated with tectonic processes in the earth's crust. Those territories where there are active smoking volcanoes, where there are mountain ranges and the formation of mountains continues, the foci of earthquakes are most often located there and tremors often occur in those places.

Why do earthquakes happen?

Earthquakes are a consequence of tectonic movement occurring in the depths of our Earth, there are many reasons why these movements occur - this is external influence space, the Sun, solar flares and magnetic storms.

These are the so-called earth waves that periodically arise on the surface of our earth. These waves are clearly visible on the sea surface - sea ​​tides and low tides. They are not noticeable on the earth's surface, but are recorded by instruments. Ground waves cause deformation of the earth's surface.

Some scientists have suggested that the Moon may be the culprit of earthquakes, or rather, the vibrations occurring on the lunar surface, they also affect earth's surface. It was observed that strong destructive earthquakes coincided with the full moon.

Scientists also note those natural phenomena that precede earthquakes - these are heavy, prolonged precipitation, large drops atmospheric pressure, unusual air glow, restless behavior of animals, as well as an increase in gases - argon, radon and helium and uranium and fluorine compounds in groundwater.

Our planet continues its geological development, the growth and formation of young mountain ranges occurs, in connection with human activity, new cities appear, forests are destroyed, swamps are drained, new reservoirs appear, and the changes that occur in the depths of our Earth and on its surface cause all sorts of natural disasters.

Human activities also have a negative impact on the mobility of the earth's crust. A person who imagines himself to be a tamer and creator of nature thoughtlessly interferes with the natural landscape - demolishes mountains, erects dams and hydroelectric power stations on rivers, builds new reservoirs and cities.

Yes, and mining - oil, gas, coal, building materials- crushed stone, sand - affects seismic activity. And in those areas where there is a high probability of earthquakes, seismic activity increases even more. With his ill-considered actions, people provoke landslides, landslides and earthquakes. Earthquakes that occur due to human activity are called man-made.

Another type of earthquake occurs with human participation. When underground nuclear explosions When testing tectonic weapons is carried out, or during the explosion of a large number of explosives, vibrations of the earth's crust also occur. The intensity of such tremors is not very great, but they can provoke an earthquake. Such earthquakes are called artificial.

There are still some volcanic earthquakes and landslide. Volcanic earthquakes occur due to high tension in the depths of the volcano; the cause of these earthquakes is volcanic gas and lava. The duration of such earthquakes is from several weeks to several months, they are weak and do not pose a danger to people.
Landslide earthquakes are caused by large landslides and landslides.

On our Earth, earthquakes occur every day; about one hundred thousand earthquakes a year are recorded by instruments. This incomplete list of catastrophic earthquakes that occurred on our planet clearly shows what losses humanity suffers from earthquakes.

Catastrophic earthquakes that have occurred in recent years

1923 - Japan epicenter near Tokyo, about 150 thousand people died.
1948 - Turkmenistan, Ashgabat is completely destroyed, about one hundred thousand dead.
1970 in Peru, a landslide caused by an earthquake killed 66 thousand residents of the city of Yungay.
1976 - China, the city of Tianshan is destroyed, 250 thousand dead.

1988 - Armenia, the city of Spitak was destroyed - 25 thousand people died.
1990 - Iran, Gilan province, 40 thousand dead.
1995 - Sakhalin Island, 2 thousand people died.
1999 - Türkiye, the cities of Istanbul and Izmir - 17 thousand dead.

1999 - Taiwan, 2.5 thousand people died.
2001 - India, Gujarat - 20 thousand dead.
2003 - Iran, the city of Bam is destroyed, about 30 thousand people died.
2004 - the island of Sumatra - the earthquake and tsunami caused by the earthquake killed 228 thousand people.

2005 - Pakistan, Kashmir region - 76 thousand people died.
2006 - Java Island - 5,700 people died.
2008 - China, Sichuan province, 87 thousand people died.

2010 - Haiti, -220 thousand people died.
2011 - Japan - an earthquake and tsunami killed more than 28 thousand people, explosions at the Fukushima nuclear plant led to an environmental disaster.

Powerful tremors destroy the infrastructure of cities, buildings, depriving us of housing, causing enormous damage to the residents of those countries where the disaster occurred, but the most terrible and irreparable thing is the death of millions of people. History preserves the memory of destroyed cities, disappeared civilizations and whatever terrible force the elements did not prevail, a person, having survived the tragedy, restores his home, builds new cities, erects new gardens and revives the fields on which he grows his own food.

How to behave during an earthquake

At the first tremors of an earthquake, a person experiences fear and confusion, because everything around begins to move, chandeliers sway, dishes clink, cabinet doors open, and sometimes objects fall, the earth disappears from under one’s feet. Many panic and begin to rush around, while others, on the contrary, hesitate and freeze in place.

If you are on the 1-2 floors, the first thing you should do is try to leave the room as quickly as possible and move to a safe distance from buildings, try to find an open place, pay attention to power lines, you should not be under them in case of strong shocks Wires may break and you may receive an electric shock.

If you are above the 2nd floor or did not have time to jump outside, try to leave the corner rooms. It is better to hide under a table or under a bed, stand in the opening of internal doors, in the corner of the room, but away from cabinets and windows, since broken glass and objects in cabinets, as well as cabinets and refrigerators themselves, can hit you and injure you if they fall.

If you still decide to leave the apartment, then be careful, do not enter the elevator; during strong earthquakes, the elevator may turn off or collapse; it is also not recommended to run to the stairs. Flights of stairs may be damaged due to an earthquake, and a crowd of people rushing to the stairs will increase the load on them and the stairs may collapse. Going out onto balconies is just as dangerous; they can also collapse. You should not jump out of windows.

If tremors catch you on the street, move away open space, away from buildings, away from power lines, away from trees.

If you are in a car, stop at the side of the road, away from lamps, trees, and billboards. Don't stop in tunnels, under wires and bridges.

If you live in a seismically active area and earthquakes periodically shake your homes, then you should prepare yourself and your family for the possibility of a stronger earthquake. Determine in advance the safest areas in your apartment, take measures to strengthen your home, teach your children how to behave if children are alone at home during earthquakes.

Hello, dear reader! I am glad to see you on the blog, the author of which is me, Vladimir Raichev. And today I want to tell you about the most strong earthquake. This earthquake has not happened yet, but scientists are already predicting its occurrence.

Friends, I recommend that you read about the most devastating earthquakes in the history of mankind, which I wrote about in this article. But scientists say the worst earthquake is yet to come.

As a result of this natural disaster, the earth will move more than 10 meters and rivers will begin to change their course.

A powerful earthquake and large floods threaten Bangladesh and India. More than 140 million people are at risk, geophysicists at Columbia University warn. Scientists have explored the boundaries of tectonic plates in Bangladesh. They argue that geophysical stresses in this region have been increasing for more than 400 years.

Scientists warn that Bangladesh and India are threatened by an earthquake measuring 9 (perhaps even much higher) on the Richter scale. As a result, the ground will move more than ten meters, and rivers will change flow directions, resulting in gigantic floods in the most densely populated region of the world.

When will the earthquake happen?

Scientists admit, however, that it is impossible to predict when disaster will come:

“We don’t know how long it takes for tectonic plates to release stress, because we don’t know exactly how much time has passed since the last earthquake.” It can be very a short time, the next decades or even years, but this could happen over the next 500 years, scientists admit.

Where else is an earthquake likely to occur?

Experts say a similar threat is emerging on the other side of the globe. Stresses on the San Andreas Fault, which runs through California, are also constantly increasing. Geophysicists are convinced that 99% of the earthquakes in this region will occur within the next 15-30 years, and its strength will reach 7 points.

Just imagine: a magnitude 9 earthquake! This is simply deadly for India and Bangladesh. When we were in Goa, I noticed that even in this relatively rich state of India there is no seismic protection for buildings. Roughly speaking, powerful earthquake will simply wipe this beautiful country off the face of the Earth.

I think I'll stop scaring you for today. I hope that nothing bad will happen to our wonderful planet. Subscribe to blog updates so as not to miss anything interesting, share this article with your friends on in social networks. Until we meet again, bye-bye.

Major earthquakes have occurred throughout human history, with the earliest recorded dating back almost 2,000 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, such as in the case of a tsunami, when people have the opportunity to evacuate a potentially dangerous area. But 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 and improved early warning systems, but they have never been able to completely protect themselves from disasters. There are many in various ways estimate the strength of the earthquake. Some people base it on the Richter scale, others on the number of deaths and injuries, or even the monetary value of the damaged property. This list of the 12 strongest earthquakes combines all of these methods in one.

Lisbon earthquake

The Great Lisbon Earthquake struck the Portuguese capital on November 1, 1755, causing enormous destruction. They were made worse by the fact that it was All Saints' Day and thousands of people attended mass in the church. Churches, like most other buildings, could not withstand the elements and collapsed, killing people. Subsequently, a tsunami 6 meters high hit. An estimated 80,000 died due to fires caused by the destruction. Many famous writers and philosophers dealt with the Lisbon earthquake in their works. For example, Emmanuel Kant, who tried to find scientific explanation what happened.

California earthquake

A major earthquake struck California in April 1906. Etched into history as the San Francisco earthquake, it caused damage to a much wider area. Downtown San Francisco was destroyed by a huge fire that followed. Initial figures mentioned 700 to 800 dead, although researchers claim the actual death toll was more than 3,000. More than half of San Francisco's population lost their homes as 28,000 buildings were destroyed by the earthquake and fires.

Messina earthquake

One of Europe's largest earthquakes struck Sicily and southern Italy in the early hours of December 28th, 1908, killing an estimated 120,000 people. The main epicenter of the damage was Messina, which was virtually destroyed by the disaster. The magnitude 7.5 earthquake was accompanied by a tsunami that hit the coast. A recent study suggested that the size of the waves was so huge because of 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 its epicenter in Haiyuan Chingya. At least 230,000 people died. Measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, the earthquake destroyed almost every home in the region, causing extensive damage. major cities like Lanzhou, Taiyuan and Xi'an. Incredibly, waves from the earthquake were visible even off the coast of Norway. According to a recent study, Haiyuan was the strongest earthquake to hit China during the 20th century. Researchers have also questioned the official death toll, suggesting there may have been more than 270,000. This number represents 59 percent of the population in the Haiyuan area. 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 after a magnitude 9.5 earthquake 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 earthquake caused a tsunami, with casualties in places as far away as Japan, Hawaii and the Philippines. In some parts of Chile, waves have moved building ruins 3 kilometers inland. The massive Chilean earthquake of 1960 caused a giant rupture in the ground extending over 1,000 kilometers.

Earthquake in Alaska

On March 27th, 1964, a strong 9.2 earthquake struck the Prince William Sound region of Alaska. As the second most powerful earthquake on record, it caused a relatively low number of deaths(192 dead). However, significant property damage occurred in Anchorage, and tremors were felt in all 47 US states. Due to significant improvements in research technology, the Alaska earthquake has provided scientists with valuable seismic data, allowing them to better understand the nature of such events.

Kobe earthquake

In 1995, Japan was hit by one of its most powerful earthquakes when a magnitude 7.2 shock struck the Kobe region in south-central Japan. Although it was not the worst ever seen, the devastating impact was felt by a significant portion of the population—an estimated 10 million people living in densely populated areas. 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 Andaman earthquake

The tsunami that struck across the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004 killed at least 230,000 people. It was caused by a large undersea earthquake off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. His strength was measured at 9.1 on the Richter scale. The previous earthquake in Sumatra occurred in 2002. It is believed to have been a seismic pre-shock, with several aftershocks occurring throughout 2005. The main reason huge number of victims was the lack of any early warning system in Indian Ocean, capable of detecting an approaching Tsunami. A giant wave reached the shores of some countries, where tens of thousands of people died, for at least several hours.

Kashmir earthquake

Jointly administered by Pakistan and India, Kashmir was hit by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake in October 2005, killing at least 80,000 people and leaving 4 million homeless. Rescue efforts were hampered by conflicts between the two countries fighting over the territory. The situation was aggravated 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 cliffs due to the destructive elements.

Disaster in Haiti

Port-au-Prince was hit by an earthquake on January 12, 2010, leaving half the capital's population without their homes. The death toll is still disputed and ranges from 160,000 to 230,000. A recent report highlighted that as of the fifth anniversary of the disaster, 80,000 people continue to live on the streets. The impact of the earthquake has caused severe poverty in Haiti, which is 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 subsistence other than the international aid provided.

Tohoku earthquake in Japan

The biggest nuclear disaster after Chernobyl was caused by magnitude 9 earthquakes near east coast Japan March 11, 2011. Scientists estimate that during the 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 Japan's northern islands. Nuclear power plant in Fukushima was badly damaged and attempts to salvage the situation are still ongoing. The official death toll is 15,889 dead, although 2,500 people 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 February 22, 2011, when Christchurch was hit by a powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake. More than half of the deaths were caused by the collapse of the CTV building, which was built in violation of seismic codes. Thousands of other houses were also destroyed, including the city's cathedral. The government introduced state of emergency in the country so that rescue operations proceed 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 said that three years after the tragedy, only 10 per cent of the city had been rebuilt.

Demonstrated the terrifying power of these natural phenomena. Almost 16,000 people died and more than a million buildings were completely or partially destroyed. A year after these events, 330,000 people are still living in hotels or other temporary housing, unable to return home. Another 3,000 people are still missing. Giant tsunami waves generated by the earthquake flooded the power and cooling systems of three reactors at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Earthquakes cannot be stopped, but we know how they work. Scientists have developed networks of sensors to monitor the movement of the earth, changes in groundwater and magnetic fields that may indicate an impending earthquake. Engineers, meanwhile, have developed new forms of architecture to withstand earthquakes. So, without further ado, let's find out the most Interesting Facts about earthquakes.

1. The record depth at which the earthquake epicenter was recorded.

750 kilometers.

2. How many earthquakes occur per year?

3. Do earthquakes occur more often in warm weather?

4. What is the earth's crust made of?

The Earth's crust is broken into moving pieces called plates. These plates float on the dense rocks of the mantle, a sticky layer that lies between the planet's core and the Earth's crust. The most common rock in the crust that forms the Earth's continents is granite. This continental crust averages 35 km thick and is deepest beneath mountain ranges. The oceanic crust is thinner - six kilometers on average - and is mostly made of dense volcanic rocks such as basalt. Interestingly, granite consists of 75% oxygen and silicon. Basalt is denser because the silicon is contaminated with heavy elements such as iron.

5. How thick is the earth's crust?

from 5 to 70 kilometers.

6. Did the earthquake in Japan in 2011 really make the days shorter?

Yes, but you'll hardly notice it. Every day is now 1.8 microseconds shorter, according to NASA. The fact is that the Japanese earthquake accelerated the rotation of the Earth, changing its rotation around an imaginary line called an axis. The Earth's mass is balanced around its axis, and it wobbles as it rotates. This fluctuation is up to one meter per year due to the movement of glaciers and ocean currents. In 2011, an earthquake moved the ocean floor near Japan as much as 16 meters vertically and 50 meters horizontally—equivalent to the horizontal distance of an Olympic swimming pool! Shifts of the ocean floor increased the Earth's oscillations around its axis by 17 centimeters. And as the vibrations increased, the Earth accelerated its rotation. This principle will be better understood if we remember that a skater pulls his arms closer to his body in order to spin faster.

7. What is the shadow side of an earthquake?

The shadow zone is where seismographs cannot detect an earthquake after its seismic waves have passed through the Earth. The shadow zone is located on the Earth's surface at an angle of 104-140 degrees from the origin of the earthquake, and is not crossed by S-waves or direct P-waves. The shadow zone forms because S-waves cannot pass through the Earth's liquid outer core, while P-waves are refracted by the liquid core.

8. Where do earthquakes most often occur?

About 90 percent of earthquakes occur on the so-called Ring of Fire - a belt seismic activity surrounding the Pacific Plate. The Ring of Fire is a massive subduction zone where the Pacific Plate collides with and sinks beneath other crustal plates. Most earthquakes have been observed in Japan, which lies on the Ring of Fire at the junction of the Pacific, Philippine, Eurasian and Okhotsk plates. Japan has good network earthquake monitoring, and scientists can detect even small earthquakes. Indonesia's volcanic island chain is probably experiencing the most a large number of earthquakes on land, but it has fewer instruments to measure them.

9. Is it true that earthquakes occur more often in the morning?

10. What are tremors?

Tremors are another name for an earthquake. It also represents the vibration you experience during an earthquake.

11. How do scientists record the size of an earthquake?

Scientists use a seismograph to record earthquake waves called P and S waves. P waves travel faster than S waves and can travel through liquids. By measuring the delay between the P and S waves, scientists can calculate the distance the waves have traveled.

12. When was the earliest record of a major earthquake in history?

The first earthquake was described in China in 1177 BC. By the 17th century, accounts of the effects of earthquakes were published around the world.

13. What do the lines on a seismograph mean?

The wavy lines on the seismogram represent the recorded waves. The first large wavy line is P-waves, the second line is S-waves. If the latter is missing, the earthquake occurred on the other side of the planet.

14. Why do earthquakes cause tsunamis?

When two plates come into contact underwater, they exert pressure on each other, thereby creating pressure. There comes a time when one slab cannot stand it and slips. As a result, the accumulated energy is released and an underwater earthquake occurs. A column of water is pushed upward, resulting in a tsunami on the surface of the ocean. Tsunamis are giant waves that can cross oceans at enormous speeds of up to 700 kilometers per hour and reach heights of 20 meters.

15. How do P and S waves move?

P waves (primary waves) are the fastest waves produced by an earthquake. They can pass through solid and molten rocks. P waves move in a spiral that resembles a Slinky spring toy.

S-waves (secondary waves) are 1.7 times slower than P-waves and can only travel through hard rock. However, they cause more damage because they are larger and shake the ground vertically and horizontally.

16. How long do earthquakes last?

10-30 seconds.

17. Do earthquakes occur only on Earth?

There is evidence of “marsquakes” on Mars, as well as “Venusquakes” on Venus. Signs of earthquakes have also been observed on several of Jupiter's moons, as well as on (a moon of Saturn). In addition, tidal “moonquakes” have been discovered on the Moon, which are caused by the influence of Earth’s gravity. The moon also vibrates from meteorite impacts and tremors caused by the heating of the lunar surface after a two-week lunar night.

18. Can animals predict earthquakes?

It is not known for certain whether animals can predict earthquakes, but there are many stories about their strange behavior. One such story claims that snakes in hibernation, left their burrows a month before the earthquake that occurred in China in 1975.

The power of tremors is estimated by the amplitude of oscillations of the earth's crust from 1 to 10 points. Areas in mountainous areas are considered the most earthquake-prone. We present to you the most powerful earthquakes in history.

The worst earthquakes in history

During the earthquake that occurred in Syria in 1202, more than a million people died. Despite the fact that the force of the tremors did not exceed 7.5 points, underground vibrations were felt along the entire length from the island of Sicily in the Tyrrhenian Sea to Armenia.

The large number of victims is associated not so much with the strength of the tremors, but with their duration. Modern researchers can judge the consequences of the destruction of the earthquake in the 2nd century only from the surviving chronicles, according to which the cities of Catania, Messina and Ragusa in Sicily were practically destroyed, and the coastal cities of Akratiri and Paralimni in Cyprus were also covered by a strong wave.

Earthquake on the island of Haiti

The 2010 Haiti earthquake killed more than 220,000 people, injured 300,000, and left more than 800,000 missing. Material damage as a result natural disaster amounted to 5.6 billion euros. For a whole hour, tremors with a power of 5 and 7 points were observed.

Even though the earthquake occurred in 2010, the people of Haiti still need humanitarian aid, and on our own rebuilding settlements. This is the second most powerful earthquake in Haiti, the first occurred in 1751 - then the cities had to be rebuilt over the next 15 years.

Earthquake in China

About 830 thousand people died in the magnitude 8 earthquake in China in 1556. At the very epicenter of the tremors in the Weihe River valley, near Shaanxi province, 60% of the population died. Huge number victims is due to the fact that people in the middle of the 16th century lived in limestone caves, easily destroyed even by minor tremors.

Within 6 months after the main earthquake, so-called aftershocks were felt repeatedly - repeated seismic tremors with a power of 1-2 points. This disaster occurred during the reign of Emperor Jiajing, so in Chinese history it is called the Great Jiajing Earthquake.

The most powerful earthquakes in Russia

Almost a fifth of Russia's territory is located in seismically active areas. These include the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin, Kamchatka, the North Caucasus and the Black Sea coast, Baikal, Altai and Tyva, Yakutia and the Urals. Over the past 25 years, about 30 strong earthquakes with an amplitude of more than 7 points have been recorded in the country.

Earthquake on Sakhalin

In 1995, an earthquake of magnitude 7.6 occurred on Sakhalin Island, as a result of which the cities of Okha and Neftegorsk, as well as several villages located nearby, were damaged.

The most significant consequences were felt in Neftegorsk, which was 30 kilometers from the epicenter of the earthquake. Within 17 seconds, almost all the houses were destroyed. The damage caused amounted to 2 trillion rubles, and the authorities decided not to restore the settlements, so this city is no longer indicated on the map of Russia.

More than 1,500 rescuers were involved in eliminating the consequences. 2,040 people died under the rubble. A chapel was built and a memorial was erected on the site of Neftegorsk.

Earthquake in Japan

The movement of the earth's crust is often observed in Japan, since it is located in the active zone of the Pacific Ocean volcanic ring. The most powerful earthquake in this country occurred in 2011, the amplitude of the vibrations was 9 points. According to a rough estimate of experts, the amount of damage after the destruction reached 309 billion dollars. More than 15 thousand people were killed, 6 thousand were injured and about 2,500 were missing.

Tremors in Pacific Ocean caused a powerful tsunami, the height of the waves was 10 meters. As a result of the collapse large flow waters on the coast of Japan, a radiation accident occurred at the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant. Subsequently, for several months, residents of nearby areas were prohibited from drinking tap water due to its high cesium content.

In addition, the Japanese government ordered TEPCO, which owns the nuclear power plant, to compensate moral damages to 80 thousand residents forced to leave the contaminated areas.

The most powerful earthquake in the world

A powerful earthquake caused by the collision of two continental plates occurred in India on August 15, 1950. According to official data, the strength of the tremors reached 10 points. However, according to the conclusions of the researchers, the vibrations of the earth's crust were much stronger, and the instruments were unable to establish their exact magnitude.

The strongest tremors were felt in the state of Assam, which was reduced to ruins as a result of the earthquake - more than two thousand houses were destroyed and more than six thousand people were killed. total area The territories caught in the destruction zone amounted to 390 thousand square kilometers.

According to the site, earthquakes also often occur in volcanically active areas. We present to you an article about the highest volcanoes in the world.
Subscribe to our channel in Yandex.Zen