QuakeScout
9.5

1960 Valdivia Earthquake

1960-05-22Near Valdivia, southern Chile

The most powerful earthquake ever recorded in human history, the Great Chilean Earthquake ruptured over 1,000 kilometers of fault line along the Chilean coast. The resulting tsunami crossed the Pacific Ocean, causing death and destruction in Hawaii, Japan, and the Philippines hours after the initial quake. The earthquake also triggered landslides and the eruption of Cordón Caulle volcano, reshaping the landscape of southern Chile.

Magnitude

9.5

Depth

33 km

Shallow

Fatalities

5,700

Damage

$4.8 billion

Date1960-05-22
Epicenter38.143°S, 73.407°W
IntensityXI (Extreme)
TsunamiYes (max 25m)
Injuries3,000