HISTORIC ARTICLE
May 22, 1960 ce: valdivia earthquake strikes chile.
On May 22, 1960, the largest earthquake in recorded history—magnitude 9.5—struck southern Chile.
Earth Science, Geology
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On May 22, 1960, the most powerful earthquake in recorded history— magnitude 9.5—struck southern Chile. Estimates were the rupture zone stretched anywhere from 500 kilometers (311 miles) to almost 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) along the country’s coast . The event was named after the city most affected by the quake, Valdivia.
The Valdivia earthquake left two million people homeless, injured at least 3,000, and killed approximately 1,655. The economic damage totaled $550 million (more than $4.8 billion, adjusted for 2020 inflation ).
The Valdivia earthquake triggered a massive tsunami that raced across the Pacific. Waves wracked coastal communities as far away as New Zealand, Japan, and the Philippines. In Hawai'i, the tsunami devastated the coastal town of Hilo, killing 61 people.
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Last Updated
October 19, 2023
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Chile: The Legacy of the 1960 Earthquake in Valdivia
Translations
Fifty years ago, the strongest earthquake ever recorded in history rocked the city of Valdivia, Chile . On May 22, 1960, the 9.5 magnitude earthquake struck the epicenter near the city of Cañete. However, Valdivia was the hardest hit locality with nearly 40% of its building destroyed and leaving close to 20,000 homeless.
Many current users of citizen media are too young to have experienced the 1960 quake, but some like Mauro Barrientos (@maurobarrientos) talked with someone who was there fifty years ago :
Mi awela dijo este terremoto ni se compara al del terremoto de valdivia en 1960
However, the legacy that the earthquake has had on Chile's history was on the minds of many around the country. Yondaime Andres (@EomerElessar) writes :
a toodos se les aparece el fantasma del 60 por eso el temor
From the city of Valdivia, Betsabé Sandoval (@_Nahra) has been uploading various vintage photos at Twitpic of the destruction from the 1960 earthquake, including this photo of the damage to the Valdivia Cathedral. In total, she has uploaded 10 different photographs.
Photo of Valdivia post-quake uploaded by _Nahra
There are many Twitter users who currently live in the city of Valdivia. Throughout the day, they have been reacting to the developments of the 2010 earthquake and how their fellow residents were affected. The Twitter user @tapeks writes about the current mood of the city :
Se ve el temor en la gente, todos andan intranquilos y las calles se ven desoladas, se ve tan raro #Valdivia
With the approach of nightfall on the first night after the earthquake, Evelyn Arriagada (@evelynarriaga) and Daniela Contreras (@dcontrerasl) both remark how things are a little calmer, but everyone is heading to bed with a little bit of fear.
Nevertheless, not only is the damage caused by the 1960 earthquake on the minds of many, but also the reaction by the Chilean people 50 years ago. Pancho Ballesteros (@Pancho_B) writes :
Si hace 50 años nuestra patria se puso de pie despues de lo de Valdivia, hoy es el momento de volver a hacerlo…
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[…] it will take to rebuild. I especially recommend Eddie’s (relatively brief) posts on “The Legacy of the 1960 Earthquake in Valdivia” and “Tsunami Scare on Easter Island.” Juliana Rincón has collected […]
[…] and what it will take to rebuild. I especially recommend Eddie’s (relatively brief) posts on “The Legacy of the 1960 Earthquake in Valdivia” and “Tsunami Scare on Easter Island.” Juliana Rincón has collected YouTube videos of the […]
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