Historic Earthquakes

Chile
1960 May 22 19:11:14 UTC
Magnitude 9.5
The Largest Earthquake in the World
Approximately 1,655 killed, 3,000 injured, 2,000,000 homeless, and $550 million damage in southern
Chile; tsunami caused 61 deaths, $75 million damage in Hawaii; 138 deaths and $50 million damage in
Japan; 32 dead and missing in the Philippines; and $500,000 damage to the west coast of the United
States.
Abridged from United States Earthquakes, 1960.

Seismograms
Articles
Tsunami Information
Valdivia and the Catastrophe
NOAA Slide Set
Google Earth KML
(requires Google Earth)

Severe damage from shaking occurred in the Valdivia-Puerto Montt area. Most of the casualties and
much of the damage was because of large tsunamis which caused damage along the coast of Chile
from Lebu to Puerto Aisen and in many areas of the Pacific Ocean. Puerto Saavedra was completely
destroyed by waves which reached heights of 11.5 m (38 ft) and carried remains of houses inland as
much as 3 km (2 mi). Wave heights of 8 m (26 ft) caused much damage at Corral.
Tsunamis caused 61 deaths and severe damage in Hawaii, mostly at Hilo, where the runup height
reached 10.6 m (35 ft). Waves as high as 5.5 m (18 ft) struck northern Honshu about 1 day after the
quake, where it destroyed more than 1600 homes and left 185 people dead or missing. Another 32
people were dead or missing in the Philippines after the tsunami hit those islands. Damage also
occurred on Easter Island, in the Samoa Islands and in California. One to 1.5 m (3-5 ft) of subsidence
occurred along the Chilean coast from the south end of the Arauco Peninsula to Quellon on Chiloe
Island. As much of 3 m (10 ft) of uplift occurred on Isla Guafo. Many landslides occurred in the Chilean
Lake District from Lago Villarica to Lago Todos los Santos.

On May 24, Volcan Puyehue erupted, sending ash and steam as high as 6,000 m. The eruption
continued for several weeks.
This quake was preceded by 4 foreshocks bigger than magnitude 7.0, including a magnitude 7.9 on
May 21 that caused severe damage in the Concepcion area. Many aftershocks occurred, with 5 of
magnitude 7.0 or greater through Nov 1.
This is the largest earthquake of the 20th Century. The rupture zone is estimated to be about 1000 km
long, from Lebu to Puerto Aisen.
Note that the tsunami deaths from outside Chile are included in the 1,655 total. This is still considerably
fewer than some estimates which were as high as 5,700. However, Rothe and others state that the
initial reports were greatly overestimated. The death toll for this huge earthquake was less than it might
have been because it it occurred in the middle of the afternoon, many of the structures had been built
to be earthquake-resistant and the series of strong foreshocks had made the population wary.
[8ae,312,40,307A,327,305A,322,339,303A,92]

Valdivia suffered catastrophic damage because of its proximity to the epicenter of the massive quake.

Historic Earthquakes
1964 Great Alaska Earthquake
1964 March 28 03:36 UTC
1964 March 27 05:36 p.m. local time
Magnitude 9.2

Largest Earthquake in Alaska

The Great Alaska Earthquake and Tsunami of March 27, 1964 - a compilation of
information on the 50th anniversary
Isoseismal Map - contoured shaking intensity map
1964 Great Alaska Earthquake Photo Tour of Anchorage - interactive map with photos
Damage Photos: 1 2 3
Damage Photos from the USGS Photographic Library
Seismograms - photos of historic helicorder records
Did You Feel It? Map
Google Earth KML
(requires Google Earth)

This great earthquake and ensuing tsunami took 131 lives (tsunami 122, earthquake 9), and caused
about $2.3 billion in property loss (in 2013 dollars; equivalent to $311 million in 1964). Earthquake
effects were heavy in many towns, including Anchorage, Chitina, Glennallen, Homer, Hope, Kasilof,
Kenai, Kodiak, Moose Pass, Portage, Seldovia, Seward, Sterling, Valdez, Wasilla, and Whittier.
Anchorage, about 120 kilometers northwest of the epicenter, sustained the most severe damage to
property. About 30 blocks of dwellings and commercial buildings were damaged or destroyed in the
downtown area. The J.C. Penney Company building was damaged beyond repair; the Four Seasons
apartment building, a new six-story structure, collapsed; and many other multistory buildings were
damaged heavily. The schools in Anchorage were almost devastated. The Government Hill Grade
School, sitting astride a huge landslide, was almost a total loss. Anchorage High School and Denali
Grade School were damaged severely. Duration of the shock was estimated at 3 minutes.
Landslides in Anchorage caused heavy damage. Huge slides occurred in the downtown business
section, at Government Hill, and at Turnagain Heights. The largest and most devastating landslide
occurred at Turnagain Heights. An area of about 130 acres was devastated by displacements that
broke the ground into many deranged blocks that were collapsed and tilted at all angles. This slide
destroyed about 75 private houses. Water mains and gas, sewer, telephone, and electrical systems
were disrupted throughout the area.

Five-story J.C. Penney Building, 5th Avenue and Downing Street, Anchorage, Alaska, partly collapsed
by the March 28, 1964 earthquake. Note undamaged buildings nearby.

Landslide and slumping effects in the Turnagain Heights area, Anchorage, Alaska, caused by the March
28, 1964, earthquake.

The earthquake was accompanied by vertical displacement over an area of about 520,000 square
kilometers. The major area of uplift trended northeast from southern Kodiak Island to Price William
Sound and trended east-west to the east of the sound. Vertical displacements ranged from about 11.5

meters of uplift to 2.3 meters of subsidence relative to sea level. Off the southwest end of Montague
Island, there was absolute vertical displacement of about 13 - 15 meters. Uplift also occurred along the
extreme southeast coast of Kodiak Island, Sitkalidak Island, and over part or all of Sitkinak Island. This
zone of subsidence covered about 285,000 square kilometers, including the north and west parts of
Prince William Sound, the west part of the Chugach Mountains, most of Kenai Peninsula, and almost
all the Kodiak Island group.
This shock generated a tsunami that devastated many towns along the Gulf of Alaska, and left serious
damage at Alberni and Port Alberni, Canada, along the West Coast of the United States (15 killed), and
in Hawaii. The maximum wave height recorded was 67 meters at Valdez Inlet. Seiche action in rivers,
lakes, bayous, and protected harbors and waterways along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Texas
caused minor damage. It was also recorded on tide gages in Cuba and Puerto Rico.
This great earthquake was felt over a large area of Alaska and in parts of western Yukon Territory and
British Columbia, Canada.

Abridged from Seismicity of the United States, 1568-1989 (Revised), by Carl W. Stover and Jerry L. Coffman, U.S. Geological Survey
Professional Paper 1527, United States Government Printing Office, Washington: 1993.

1964 Alaska earthquake

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1964 Alaska earthquake

Fourth Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska, looking east from near Barrow

Street. The southern edge of one of several landslides in Anchorage,
this one covered an area of over a dozen blocks, including 5 blocks
along the north side of Fourth Avenue. Most of the area was razed and

made an urban renewal district.

Date

27 March 1964 (AKST)

Magnitude

9.2 Mw[1]

Depth

14 miles (23 km)

Epicenter

6130N 1472848W

Type

Megathrust

Areas affected

United States, Canada

Total damage

$311 million

Max. intensity

XI (Extreme)

Peak acceleration

0.18 g

Casualties

139 killed

The 1964 Alaskan earthquake, also known as the Great Alaskan earthquake and Good Friday
earthquake, occurred at 5:36 P.M. AST onGood Friday, March 27.[2] Across south-central Alaska,
ground fissures, collapsing structures, and tsunamis resulting from the earthquake caused about 139
deaths.[3]

Lasting four minutes and thirty-eight seconds, the magnitude 9.2 megathrust earthquake was the
most powerful recorded in North American history, and the second most powerful recorded in world
history. Soil liquefaction, fissures, landslides, and other ground failures caused major structural
damage in several communities and much damage to property. Anchorage sustained great
destruction or damage to many inadequately earthquake engineeredhouses, buildings, and
infrastructure (paved streets, sidewalks, water and sewer mains, electrical systems, and other manmade equipment), particularly in the several landslide zones along Knik Arm. Two hundred miles
southwest, some areas near Kodiak were permanently raised by 30 feet (9.1 m). Southeast of
Anchorage, areas around the head of Turnagain Arm nearGirdwood and Portage dropped as much
as 8 feet (2.4 m), requiring reconstruction and fill to raise the Seward Highway above the new
high tidemark.
In Prince William Sound, Port Valdez suffered a massive underwater landslide, resulting in the
deaths of 30 people between the collapse of the Valdez city harbor and docks, and inside the ship
that was docked there at the time. Nearby, a 27-foot (8.2 m) tsunami destroyed the village
of Chenega, killing 23 of the 68 people who lived there; survivors out-ran the wave, climbing to high
ground. Post-quake tsunamis severely affected Whittier, Seward, Kodiak, and other Alaskan
communities, as well as people and property in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and
California.[4] Tsunamis also caused damage in Hawaii and Japan. Evidence of motion directly related
to the earthquake was reported from all over the earth.

1922 Vallenar earthquake

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1922 Vallenar earthquake

Date

11 November 1922

Magnitude

8.5 Mw

Epicenter

28.5S 70.0WCoordinates:

Areas affected

Chile, Argentina

Tsunami

Yes

Casualties

Several hundred

28.5S 70.0W[1]

The 1922 Vallenar earthquake occurred with a moment magnitude of 8.5 in the Atacama
Region of Chile, near the border with Argentina on 11 November at 04:32 UTC.[1][2] It triggered a
destructive tsunami that caused significant damage to the coast of Chile and was observed as far
away as Australia.
Contents
[hide]

1Tectonic setting
2Damage and deaths

3Characteristics
o

3.1Earthquake

3.2Tsunami

4See also

5References

6External links

Tectonic setting[edit]
The earthquake took place along the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic
plates, at a location where they converge at a rate of seventy millimeters a year.
Chile has been at a convergent plate boundary that generates megathrust earthquakes since
the Paleozoic (500 million years ago). In historical times the Chilean coast has suffered many
megathrust earthquakes along this plate boundary, including the strongest earthquake ever
measured. Most recently, the boundary ruptured in 2010 in central Chile.[3]

Damage and deaths[edit]

The earthquake caused extensive damage in a zone extending approximately
from Copiap to Coquimbo. Newspapers estimated more than 1,000 dead as a result of the quake,
at least 500 of them in Vallenar.[4] The tsunami killed several hundred people in coastal cities,
especially in Coquimbo.[1]
Total damages were estimated to be in the range $525 million U.S. (1922 dollars). [1][5]

Characteristics[edit]
Earthquake[edit]

Damage in the Atacama Region

The earthquake was preceded by strong foreshocks on 3 and 7 November. The main shock lasted
between thirty seconds and eight minutes according to various reports. [6]
The length of the plate boundary that ruptured during the earthquake is estimated to be 390 km.[7]

Tsunami[edit]
The epicenter of the earthquake was well inland and the tsunami may have been caused by a
submarine slide triggered by the shaking.[8]
At Caldera the tsunami began about 15 minutes after the earthquake, with a maximum run-up height
of 7 m. At Chaaralthe tsunami had three surges, the first about an hour after the earthquake, the
maximum run-up height was 9 m. Three surges were also seen at Coquimbo, the last being the most
destructive with a maximum run-up of 7 m.[7]

The tsunami was also observed in Callao, Peru (2.4 m), California (0.2 m 13.0 hours
delay), Hawaii (2.1 m 14.5 hours),Samoa (0.9 m 14.1 hours), Japan (0.3 m), Taiwan(0.03 m), New
Zealand (0.1 m), Australia (0.2 m)[9] and the Philippines(0.1 m).[6]

1906 Valparaso earthquake

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from 1906 Valparaiso earthquake)

1906 Valparaso earthquake

Epicentral location

Date

19:55:39, August 16, 1906 (UTC-4)

Magnitude 8.2 Mw[1]

Depth

25 km (16 mi)

Epicenter

Offshore Valparaso Region, Chile

325932.83S 7201.2WCoordinates:

Areas

325932.83S 7201.2W

Chile

affected
Tsunami

Yes

Casualties

3,882 dead[1]

The 1906 Valparaso earthquake hit Valparaso, Chile, on August 16 at 19:55 local time.
Its epicenter was offshore from the Valparaso Region, and its intensity was estimated at magnitude
8.2 MW.
Much of Valparaso was destroyed; there was severe damage in central Chilefrom Illapel to Talca.
The earthquake was felt from Tacna, Peru to Puerto Montt. Reports said the earthquake lasted four
minutes. A tsunami was also generated. The earthquake killed a reported 3,886 people.
The record of previous seismic activity includes major earthquakes in 1647, 1730 and 1822. [2] The
1906 disaster was predicted by Captain Arturo Middleton, Chief of the Chilean Army Meteorological
Office, in a letter that was published in El Mercurio, one week before it occurred.
Admiral Luis Gmez Carreo ordered the shooting of at least 15 people, who were caught looting
after the earthquake.[3] A Board for Reconstruction was formed some weeks after the earthquake.
The Seismological Service of Chile was also created. Fernand de Montessus de Ballore was
appointed as the first chief executive of the Service.
Contents
[hide]

1Background
2Earthquake characteristics

3Damage

4Relief efforts

5Aftermath

6See also

7Notes

8References

9Further reading

10External links

Background[edit]
Chile lies above a convergent plate boundary, an area where the Nazca Plateunder the Pacific
Ocean is subducted or moved beneath the South American Plate. In the region around Valparaiso,
the rate of convergence is about 70 mm/yr.[4] As these two plates converge, it drives the Nazca plate
with massive movements called megathrust earthquakes. The 1906 event was one of many
large earthquakes in Chile along this plate boundary. Earthquakes can originate at the plate interface
itself or within either the subducting or overriding plates.
Citing the conjunction of Neptune with the moon,[5] Captain Arturo Middleton, Chief of the Chilean
Army's Meteorological Office, predicted the earthquake in a letter published in the Valparaso
newspaper El Mercurio on August 6.[6] Captain Middleton was severely criticized in the following
days, and was qualified as "ignorant and obscurantist." [6]

Earthquake characteristics[edit]
On August 16, 1906 at 19:55 local time,[7] while most Chileans were dining, a subterraneous sound
was heard, and before it ended, the first tremor occurred, lasting about four minutes. [1] The second
tremor occurred at 20:06 and, although it lasted only two minutes, was much more violent. [8] There
were numerous aftershocks: at least 56 of them occurred during the first 24 hours after the
beginning tremors.[7]
The magnitude of the earthquake has been estimated to be 8.4 ML, 8.2 MW[9] or MS = 8.28.3. The
energy release has been re-evaluated with an estimated seismic moment of 2.8 x 1028, equivalent to
a magnitude of 8.26 MW. The rupture length of the earthquake has been estimated at about 200 km
with a focal depth of about 40 km.[10] 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. Modelling of a tsunami
using these source parameters shows that this earthquake was the origin of the transpacific
tsunamis recorded that same day in Hawaii and Japan, rather than the almost
contemporaneous 1906 Aleutian Islands earthquake.[10]
The 30-minute time gap between the Aleutian and Chilean earthquakes is thought to be coincidental,
with no causal link between the two. [10]

Damage[edit]

Teatro de la Victoria before the earthquake

Teatro de la Victoria after the earthquake

El Mercurio newspaper on 17 August 1906, reporting the earthquake of the day before

The earthquake caused damage throughout Central Chile, from Illapel to Talca.[1]There were several
destructive fires in El Almendral (from Plaza de la Victoria to Cerro Barn), Mercado Cardonal,
Teatro de la Victoria (Victory Theatre), the Intendencia, the Maritime Government in Sotomayor
Square and the Fiscal Dock at the port.[11]
The earthquake was also felt in Santiago, the capital of Chile. The newspaper El Mercurio reported
in its August 17 edition that "the earthquake was produced in a violent way since its beginning, and
provoked an indescribable panic through all the four thousands of inhabitants of Santiago and an
unprecedented terror in the last years. Two or three-story buildings, even the most solid ones such
as the National Congress, were swinging like a vessel in the sea. The shakings were so strong that
many people thought the earth was going to open itself in deep and long strips.". [12]
According to the University of Chile, there were 3,882 deaths.[1] The earthquake left more than
20,000 injured.[11]
On August 19, Admiral Luis Gmez Carreo was appointed Plaza Port Chief. Gmez ordered the
distribution of water and food, removal of corpses and demolition of buildings in risk of collapse, from
a tent in Plaza de La Victoria.[3] Adm. Gmez ordered the shooting of at least 15 people who had
committed crimes during the aftermath. [3]

Relief efforts[edit]

Looters were shot by the authorities.

Despite the state of the city, authorities quickly organized themselves into relief groups. Firefighters
from other cities of Chile, including Santiago, Concepcin and Talcahuano, moved to Valparaso to
help the local Fire Bureau.[13] Physician Jos Grossi worked to counteract the plagues that followed
the earthquake.[8][14]
On August 25, President Germn Riesco and President Pedro Montt arrived at Valparaso. They
arrived there by train, on foot, or horseback to survey the magnitude of the disaster.[12]
Some weeks after the earthquake, a Board for Reconstruction was formed, using money received
from other countries.[3]

Aftermath[edit]
In 1906, the Seismological Service of Chile (Servicio Sismolgico de Chile) was created. Its first
chief executive wasFernand de Montessus de Ballore.[15]
The effects of this historic seismic event in the Valpariso rupture zone would be studied and
measurable in the context of further activity in this vicinity.[16]

2010 Chile earthquake

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the 2015 quake, see 2015 Illapel earthquake. For other earthquakes in and about Chile during
2010, see List of earthquakes in Chile occurring in 2010.

2010 Chile earthquake

Epicenter of the 2010 Chile earthquake

Date

27 February 2010[1]

Origin time

03:34 CST (UTC-03:00)

Magnitude

8.8 Mw

Depth

35 kilometres (22 mi)[2] or 30.1 kilometres (19 mi)[1]

Epicenter

35.909S 72.733WCoordinates:
72.733W[2] or

35.909S

36.290S 73.239W[1]

Areas affected Chile

Max. intensity MM VIII[3] or MM IX[1]
Peak

0.65 g

acceleration
Tsunami

Yes

Casualties

525 dead, 25 missing.[4]

Wikinews has related
news:NASA scientist:
Chile earthquake may
have shifted Earth's axis,
shortened day

The partially collapsed 21-story O'Higgins Tower, Concepcin

The 2010 Chile earthquake (Spanish: Terremoto de Chile de 2010) occurred off the coast of
central Chile on Saturday, 27 February at 03:34 local time(06:34 UTC), having a magnitude of 8.8 on
the moment magnitude scale, with intense shaking lasting for about three minutes. [5][1][2][6] It ranks as
the fifth largest earthquake ever to be recorded by a seismograph. It was felt strongly in six Chilean
regions (from Valparaso in the north to Araucana in the south), that together make up about 80
percent of the country's population. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) the
cities experiencing the strongest shakingVIII (Severe) on the Mercalli intensity scale (MM)
were Concepcin, Arauco and Coronel. According to Chile's Seismological
Service Concepcin experienced the strongest shaking at MM IX (Violent). [1] The earthquake was felt
in the capital Santiago at MM VII (Very Strong)[3] or MM VIII.[1] Tremors were felt in
many Argentine cities, includingBuenos Aires, Crdoba, Mendoza and La Rioja.[7][8] Tremors were felt
as far north as the city of Ica in southern Peru (approx. 2,400 km (1,500 mi) away).[9]
The earthquake triggered a tsunami which devastated several coastal towns in south-central Chile
and damaged the port at Talcahuano. Tsunami warnings were issued in 53 countries,[10] and the wave
caused minor damage in the San Diego area of California[11] and in the Thoku region of Japan,
where damage to the fisheries business was estimated at 6.26 billion (US$66.7 million).[12] The
earthquake also generated a blackout that affected 93 percent of the Chilean population and which
went on for several days in some locations. [13] President Michelle Bachelet declared a "state of
catastrophe" and sent military troops to take control of the most affected areas. According to official
sources, 525 people lost their lives, 25 people went missing [4] and about 9% of the population in the
affected regions lost their homes.[14]
On 10 March, Swiss Reinsurance Co. estimated that the Chilean quake would cost insurance
companies between 4 and 7 billion dollars. The rival German-based Munich Re AG made the same
estimate.[15] Earthquake's losses to the economy of Chile are estimated at US$1530 billion. [16]
Contents
[hide]

1Location
2Seismology and geology
o

2.1Compared with past earthquakes

2.2Aftershocks

2.32011 aftershocks

2.4Geophysical impact

3Damage and casualties

o

3.1Modified Mercalli intensities for some localities

3.2Identified fatalities

3.3Population with destroyed or severely damaged homes

3.4Humanitarian response

4Conditions in the aftermath

o

4.1Chaos and disorder

4.2Prison escape

4.3Government response

4.4Economic recovery

4.5Food scarcity

5Tsunami
o

5.1Chile

5.2Oceania

5.3North America

5.4Tsunami-related aid given

5.5Data

6See also

7Notes

8References

9External links

Location[edit]
According to the USGS the epicenter of the earthquake was about 3 km (1.9 miles) off the coast
of Pelluhue commune in the Maule Region. This is about 6 km (3.7 miles) west of the village of
Chovelln, 15 km (9.3 miles) southwest of the town of Pelluhue and at a point approximately 100 km
(62 miles) away from the following four provincial capitals: Talca (to the north-east), Linares (to the
east), Chilln (to the south-east) and Concepcin (to the south).[2] Chile's Seismological Service
located the quake's epicenter at about 34 km (21 miles) off the coast of uble Province in the Biobo
Region. This is 60 km (37 miles) north of Concepcin and 170 km (110 miles) south-west of Talca. [1]

Seismology and geology[edit]

Main articles: Nazca Plate and geology of Chile
The earthquake took place along the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic
plates, at a location where they converge at a rate of eighty millimeters (about three inches) a year.
This earthquake was characterized by a thrust-faulting focal mechanism, caused by
the subduction of the Nazca plate beneath the South American Tectonic Plates. [2]
Chile has been at a convergent plate boundary that generates megathrust earthquakes since
the Paleozoic era (500 million years ago). In historical times the Chilean coast has suffered many
megathrust earthquakes along this plate boundary, including the strongest earthquake ever
measured, which is the 1960 Valdivia earthquake. Most recently, the boundary ruptured in 2007
causing the 2007 Antofagasta earthquake in northern Chile.
The segment of the fault zone which ruptured in this earthquake was estimated to be over 700 km
(430 mi) long with a displacement of almost 10 meters, or 120 years of accumulated plate
movement.[17] It lay immediately north of the 1,000 km (620 mi) segment which ruptured in the great
earthquake of 1960.[18] Preliminary measurements show that the entire South American Plate moved
abruptly westward during the quake. [19] A research collaborative of Ohio State and other institutions
have found, using GPS, that the earthquake shifted Santiago 11 inches (28 cm) to the westsouthwest and moved Concepcin at least 3 metres (10 ft) to the west. The earthquake also shifted
other parts of South America from theFalkland Islands to Fortaleza, Brazil. For example, it moved
Argentina's capital of Buenos Aires about one inch (2.5 cm) to the west.[20] Several cities south of

Cobquecura were also raised, by up to 3 meters. [21] The maximum recorded peak ground
acceleration was at Concepcion, with a value of 0.65 g (6.38 m/s2).[22]

USGS shake map of the earthquake

Compared with past earthquakes[edit]

See also: Earthquakes in 2010
This was the strongest earthquake affecting Chile since the magnitude 9.5 1960 Valdivia
earthquake (the most energetic earthquake ever measured in the world), and it was the strongest
earthquake worldwide since the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and until the 2011 Thoku
earthquake.[23] It is tied with the 1906 EcuadorColombia and 1833 Sumatra earthquakes as the sixth
strongest earthquake ever measured, approximately 500 times more powerful than the
7.0Mw earthquake in Haiti one month prior in January 2010.[24]

Aftershocks[edit]
An aftershock of 6.2 was recorded 20 minutes after the initial quake.[25][26] Two more aftershocks of
magnitudes 5.4 and 5.6 followed within an hour of the initial quake. [26] The USGS said that "a large
vigorous aftershock sequence can be expected from this earthquake". [2] By 6 March UTC, more than
130 aftershocks had been registered, including thirteen above magnitude 6.0. [27]
Shortly after the mainshock seismologists installed a dense network of seismometers along the
whole rupture area. This network captured 20.000 aftershocks in the 6 months after the mainshock
and shows a detailed picture of the structure of the Chilean margin. [28] Seismicity is focused in the
depth range 2535 km and in an deeper band of between 45 and 50 km depth. Around 10.000
aftershocks occurred in the region of two large aftershocks in the Pichilemu region.
A 6.9-magnitude offshore earthquake struck approximately 300 kilometers southwest of, and less
than 90 minutes after, the initial shock; however, it is not clear if that quake is related to the main
shock.[29] A separate earthquake of magnitude 6.3 occurred in Salta, Argentina, at 15:45 UTC on 27
February, at a depth of 38.2 km (23.7 mi);[30] two people were injured and one died in Salta.[31] This
earthquake was followed on 1 March, at 06:32 UTC by a magnitude 4.9 aftershock.[32] Four other
earthquakes above M5.0, some possible aftershocks, also occurred near the border in Argentina
following the Chile earthquake; a magnitude 5.0 earthquake occurred in Mendoza on 28 February, a
M5.3 earthquake in Neuquen and a M5.2 in San Juan on 2 March, and a M5.1 quake in Mendoza on
4 March.[33][34][35][36]
Another strong earthquake occurred on 4 March, at 22:39 UTC in Antofagasta in northern Chile, with
a magnitude of 6.3.[37]

Minor quakes generated by the main one could be felt as far away as So Paulo, Brazil,[38] located
about 3,000 km (1,900 mi) away from Concepcin. Since the major earthquake, and as of 15 March,
at least four to forty >M5.0 earthquakes have been recorded daily in the vicinity of the main
earthquake,[39] including four above magnitude 6.0 between 3 March and 6 March. [26]
On 5 March, two aftershocks above M6.0 were reported. The first was a 6.3-magnitude off the coast
of the Biobo Region. The second was near the epicenter of the original quake at 08:47 local time
with a magnitude of 6.6.[40]
On 11 March, the March 2010 Chile earthquake (magnitude 6.9, treated by some as an aftershock of
the February 2010 earthquake) was reported, followed quickly by further aftershocks measuring 6.7
and 6.0. The epicenter of the 6.9 quake was in Pichilemu, O'Higgins Region.[41][42]
On 15 March, two aftershocks of the February 2010 earthquake were reported, one at magnitude 6.1
at 08:08:28 local time offshore Maule,[43] and another at magnitude 6.7 with the epicenter located
offshore the Biobo Region, near Cobquecura, at 23:21:58 local time.[44] This tremor was followed by
two minor aftershocks, one occurring 45 minutes later, measuring M5.5. No tsunami was reported
and there were no tsunami warnings issued.
On 17 March, at 14:38:37 local time, an earthquake of magnitude 5.2 was recorded in Aisn, in
Southern Chile.[45] Another magnitude 5.2 earthquake was recorded in Los Lagos the next day. On 26
March, at 10:52:06 local time, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit the Atacama region, in Northern Chile.
[46]

Wikinews has related

news:6.5 magnitude
aftershock hits Bo Bo,
Chile

The Biobio Region of Chile has had strong aftershocks of this earthquake. The first one was a
magnitude 6.7 MW earthquake that struck off the coast of Biobo, Chile, at 23:21 on 15 March 2010 at
the epicenter, at a depth of 18 kilometres (11 mi). The second earthquake struck on land in the
region at 22:58 (UTC) on 2 April 2010 at 5.9 MW and at a depth of 39 km. The third struck on 10:03
(UTC) on 23 April 2010 at 6.2 MW.[47] The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that historical data
indicates that this quake will not generate a tsunami but still advised of the possibility.[48] On 3 May, at
19:09 an earthquake magnitude 6.4 MW struck off Biobo, Chile, at the epicenter, at a depth of 20
kilometres (12 mi). The epicenter was 55 kilometres (34 mi) south of Lebu.[49] On 14 July 2010,
another 6.5 magnitude earthquake occurred in the area.

2011 aftershocks[edit]
On 2 January at 17:20:18 local time, a 7.1 magnitude aftershock occurred 70 kilometers northwest
of Temuco, Chile.[50] OnLautaro, Caete, Nueva Imperial, Traigun and Carahue the quake was felt at
intensity VI (strong) of the Mercalli scale. In Temuco it was perceived at intensity V (moderate).
In Talcahuano, Concepcin, Chilln, Osorno and Valdivia it shook at intensity IV (light).[51] According
to the USGS the earthquake's epicenter was located on the ground, east of the coastal town
of Tira in the Araucana Region. However, according to the University of Chile's Seismological
Service, the seismic event was located 134 kilometers off the coast of Tira, measuring a magnitude
6.9 ML. The University of Chile also reported that the localities who received the strongest shaking
(VI) were Curanilahue, Lebu and Tira. In Concepcin, Talcahuano and Temuco it was felt at
intensity V, and in Chilln and Valdivia at intensity IV.[52]
A magnitude 6.2 Mw aftershock struck the coast of Biobo, Chile at a shallow depth of 15.1 km
(9.4 mi) on 1 June 2011 at 08:55 local time (12:55 UTC).[53] It was centered just offshore Arauco
Province near a moderately populated area, with most structures in its vicinity reported to be
resistant to earthquake shaking. Strong shaking registering at VI on the Mercalli scale was felt

in Lebu, just 7 km (4 ) south of the epicenter, lasting for approximately one minute. [54][55] Some
residents in coastal areas panicked and evacuated their homes. [56] The earthquake was followed by a
moderate magnitude 5.1 Mwtremor that occurred about 52 minutes later to the northeast of the main
shock epicenter at an estimated depth of 26.9 km (16.7 mi).[57] Initial estimates from
the USGS placed its intensity at a magnitude of 6.4 Mw.[58]

Geophysical impact[edit]
Seismologists estimate that the earthquake was so powerful that it may have shortened the length of
the day by 1.26microseconds and moved the Earth's figure axis by 2.7 milliarcseconds (about 8 cm).
[59][60]
Precise GPS measurement indicated the telluric movement moved the entire city of Concepcin
3.04 metres (10.0 ft) to the west. The capital Santiagoexperienced a displacement of almost 24
centimetres (9.4 in) west, and even Buenos Aires, about 1,350 kilometres (840 mi) from Concepcin,
[61]
shifted 4 centimetres (1.6 in).[62][63] It is estimated that Chile's territory could have expanded 1.2 km
(0.46 mi) as a result.[64]
The earthquake also caused seiches to occur in Lake Pontchartrain to the north of New Orleans,
United States, located nearly 7,500 kilometres (4,700 mi) from the epicenter of the quake.[65]

Damage and casualties[edit]

Wikinews has related
news:

Chilean
earthquakes: in pictures

Chilean
earthquakes in the
O'Higgins Region: a
photoessay

People were found dead after the earthquake struck, mostly under buildings and inside cars. Many
people were also seriously injured. Most injuries were reported in Santiago and Maule.
According to an Associated Press Television News cameraman, some buildings collapsed
in Santiago and there were power outages in parts of the city.[66] A fire was reported in a chemical
plant on the outskirts of Santiago and caused the evacuation of the neighborhood.
[25]
Santiago'sInternational Airport seemed to have been damaged and the airport authority closed off
all flight operations for 24 hours from around 12:00 UTC.[5] On Sunday, 28 February, Ricardo Ortega,
head of the Chilean Air Force, said commercial airline services had been partially re-established and
aircraft were being allowed to land in Santiago. [67]
Santiago's national Fine Arts Museum was badly damaged and did not reopen until 9 March 2010.
[68]
An apartment building's two-story parking lot collapsed, wrecking 68 cars. According to one health
official, three hospitals in Santiago collapsed, and a dozen more south of the capital also suffered
significant damage.[69]

House uprooted to the streets of Pelluhue after the tsunami.

A severely damaged building in Maip, Santiago.

Tsunami in Talcahuano,Biobo Region.

Collapsed Vespucio Norte Express Highway in Santiago.

Fruit Road, O'Higgins Region.

History's Biggest Tsunamis

by Live Science Staff | March 11, 2011 08:34am ET

This is a natural color, 60-centimeter (2-foot) high-resolution QuickBird

satellite image featuring the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka. Imagery was
collected on December 26, 2004 at 10:20 a.m. local time, slightly less than four
hours after the 6:28 a.m. (local Sri Lanka time) earthquake and shortly after the
moment of tsunami impact. [Zoom into this image]
Credit: Image Courtesy of Digital Globe
View full size image

Some of the biggest, most destructive and deadliest tsunamis on record:

8,000 years ago: A volcano caused an avalanche in Sicily 8,000 years ago that
crashed into the sea at 200 mph, triggering a devastating tsunami that spread across
the entire Mediterranean Sea. There are no historical records of the event only
geological records but scientists say the tsunami was taller than 10-story building.
Nov. 1, 1755: After a colossal earthquake destroyed Lisbon, Portugal and rocked much
of Europe, people took refuge by boat. A tsunami ensued, as did great fires. Altogether,
the event killed more than 60,000 people.
Aug. 27, 1883: Eruptions from the Krakatoa volcano fueled a tsunami that drowned
36,000 people in the Indonesian Islands of western Java and southern Sumatra. The
strength of the waves pushed coral blocks as large as 600 tons onto the shore.

June 15, 1896: Waves as high as 100 feet (30 meters), spawned by an earthquake,
swept the east coast of Japan. Some 27,000 people died.
April 1, 1946: The April Fools tsunami, triggered by an earthquake in Alaska, killed 159
people, mostly in Hawaii.
July 9, 1958: Regarded as the largest recorded in modern times, the tsunami in Lituya
Bay, Alaska was caused by a landslide triggered by an 8.3 magnitude earthquake.
Waves reached a height of 1,720 feet (576 meters) in the bay, but because the area is
relatively isolated and in a unique geologic setting the tsunami did not cause much
damage elsewhere. It sank a single boat, killing two fishermen.
May 22, 1960: The largest recorded earthquake, magnitude 8.6 in Chile, created a
tsunami that hit the Chilean coast within 15 minutes. The surge, up to 75 feet (25
meters) high, killed an estimated 1,500 people in Chile and Hawaii.
March 27, 1964: The Alaskan Good Friday earthquake, magnitude between 8.4,
spawned a 201-foot (67-meter) tsunami in the Valdez Inlet. It traveled at over 400 mph,
killing more than 120 people. Ten of the deaths occurred in Crescent City, in northern
California, which saw waves as high as 20 feet (6.3 meters).
Aug. 23, 1976: A tsunami in the southwest Philippines killed 8,000 on the heels of an
earthquake.
July 17, 1998: A magnitude 7.1 earthquake generated a tsunami in Papua New Guinea
that quickly killed 2,200.
Dec. 26, 2004: A colossal earthquake with a magnitude between 9.1 and 9.3 shook
Indonesia and killed an estimated 230,000 people, most due to the tsunami and the lack
of aid afterward, coupled with deviating and unsanitary conditions. The quake was
named the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, and the tsunami has become known as the
2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Those waves traveled the globe as far as Nova Scotia
and Peru.
March 11, 2011: A massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck northern Japan, triggering
tsunamis that reportedly swept up cars, buildings and other debris. The Japan
Meteorological Society has forecast more major tsunamis in the area, with some
expected to reach more than 30 feet (10 m) off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan's second
largest island. A tsunami was also generated off the coast of Hawaii, one that could

cause damage along the coastlines of all islands in the state of Hawaii, according to the
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Tsunami warnings are in effect across Hawaii as well.