Great Chilean Earthquake facts for kids
The Great Chilean Earthquake or Valdivian Earthquake was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded. The quake occurred in the early afternoon (19:11 UTC) of May 22, 1960, and had a 9.5 rating on the Moment magnitude scale. The earthquake affected southern Chile, Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, and the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.
Its epicenter was Valdivia, Chile. The earthquake caused tsunamis that pounded the Chilean coastline with waves of up to 25 meters. The main tsunami traveled across the Pacific Ocean and caused great damage to Hilo, Hawaii. Waves as high as 10.7 meters (about 35 feet) were recorded 10,000 kilometers from where the earthquake started. These waves travelled as far as Japan and the Philippines.
The total number of deaths from the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Chile has been estimated at 490 to 5700. The Chilean government estimated 2 million people were left homeless and the damage was $550 million USD.
Images for kids
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ShakeMap of the mainshock
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Travel time of the tsunami across the Pacific at one-hour intervals
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Wrecks of Carlos Haverbeck (top) and Canelos (bottom).
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Hilo, Hawaii, after the tsunami
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Effect of the tsunami at Kamaishi, Japan
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Eruption of Cordón Caulle following the earthquake
See also
In Spanish: Terremoto de Valdivia de 1960 para niños
