Great Chilean Earthquake facts for kids
The Great Chilean Earthquake, also known as the Valdivian Earthquake, was the strongest earthquake ever recorded. It happened on May 22, 1960, in the early afternoon. This massive quake measured 9.5 on the Moment magnitude scale.
The earthquake's center was near Valdivia, a city in southern Chile. It caused huge tsunamis (giant ocean waves) that crashed onto Chile's coast. Some of these waves were as tall as 25 meters, which is about the height of an eight-story building!
The main tsunami traveled all the way across the Pacific Ocean. It caused a lot of damage in places far away, like Hilo, Hawaii. Waves as high as 10.7 meters (about 35 feet) were recorded there. These powerful waves even reached Japan and the Philippines, traveling 10,000 kilometers from where the earthquake began.
The earthquake and the tsunamis affected many areas. Besides Chile, places like Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, and the Aleutian Islands in Alaska felt its impact.
Impact of the Great Chilean Earthquake
The Great Chilean Earthquake caused a lot of destruction. Many people lost their lives, with estimates ranging from 490 to 5,700 deaths.
The Chilean government reported that about 2 million people lost their homes. The total damage from the earthquake and tsunamis was estimated to be around $550 million USD. This shows how powerful and destructive this natural disaster was.
Images for kids
-
ShakeMap of the mainshock
-
Travel time of the tsunami across the Pacific at one-hour intervals
-
Wrecks of Carlos Haverbeck (top) and Canelos (bottom).
-
Hilo, Hawaii, after the tsunami
-
Effect of the tsunami at Kamaishi, Japan
-
Eruption of Cordón Caulle following the earthquake
See also
In Spanish: Terremoto de Valdivia de 1960 para niños
