As earthquake statistics show, seismological disasters account for 13% of the total number of natural disasters. Over the past hundred years, about 2,000 aftershocks with a magnitude of 7 or more have occurred in the world. Of these, 65 cases exceeded the 8 mark.
The situation in the world
If you look at the world map, on which seismological activity is displayed with dots, you can notice one pattern. These are some characteristic lines along which tremors are intensely recorded. The tectonic boundaries of the earth's crust are located in these zones. As established by statistics, strong catastrophic earthquakes, entailing the most devastating consequences, occur due to stress in the focus of "grinding" of tectonic plates. 
Earthquake statistics for 100 years show that only on continental tectonic plates (not oceanic) about a hundred seismic catastrophes occurred, in which 1.4 million people died. In total, 130 strong earthquakes were recorded during this period.
The table shows the largest known seismic catastrophes since the 16th century:
| Year | Location of the incident | Destruction and casualties |
| 1556 | China | 830 thousand people became victims. According to current estimates, the earthquake can be assigned the highest score - 12 points. |
| 1755 | Lisbon (Portugal) | The city was completely destroyed, 100 thousand inhabitants died |
| 1906 | San Francisco (USA) | Most of the city was destroyed, 1,500 people became victims (7.8 points) |
| 1908 | Messina (Italy) | The destruction claimed 87 thousand human lives (magnitude 7.5) |
| 1948 | Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) | 175 thousand people died |
| 1960 | Chile | The largest earthquake recorded in the last century. He was rated 9.5 points. Three cities were destroyed. About 10 thousand inhabitants became victims |
| 1976 | Tien Shan (China) | Magnitude 8.2. 242 thousand people died |
| 1988 | Armenia | Several cities and towns were destroyed. More than 25 thousand victims recorded (7.3 points) |
| 1990 | Iran | About 50 thousand inhabitants died (magnitude 7.4) |
| 2004 | Indian Ocean | The epicenter of the earthquake 9.3 points was at the bottom of the ocean, formed claimed the lives of 250 thousand inhabitants |
| 2011 | Japan | An earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1 caused the death of more than 15 thousand people and caused enormous economic and environmental consequences not only for Japan, but for the whole world. |
Over 30 years of the end of the 20th century, about 1 million people died in seismic catastrophes. This is about 33 thousand per year. Over the past 10 years, earthquake statistics show an increase in the average annual figure to 45 thousand victims. 
Hundreds of imperceptible oscillations of the earth's surface occur every day on the planet. This is not always associated with the movement of the earth's crust. Human actions: construction, mining, blasting - they all entail fluctuations recorded by modern seismographs every second. However, since 2009, the USGS Geological Survey, which collects data on earthquake statistics in the world, has ceased to take into account shocks below 4.5.
Crete
The island is located in a tectonic fault zone, so increased seismological activity there is a frequent phenomenon. Earthquakes in Crete, according to statistics, do not exceed 5 points. With such a force, there are no devastating consequences, and the locals do not pay attention to this shaking at all. On the graph, you can see the number of registered seismic shocks by month with a magnitude above 1 point. It can be seen that in recent years their intensity has increased somewhat. 
Earthquakes in Italy
The country is located in a zone of seismic activity on the territory of the same tectonic fault as Greece. Earthquake statistics in Italy over the past 5 years show an increase in the number of monthly shocks from 700 to 2000. In August 2016, a strong earthquake of magnitude 6.2 occurred. That day claimed the lives of 295 people, more than 400 were injured.
In January 2017, another earthquake of magnitude less than 6 took place in Italy, and there were almost no victims of the destruction. However, a push has caused in the province of Pescara. The hotel Rigopiano was buried under it, killing 30 people.
There are resources where earthquake statistics are displayed online. For example, the organization IRIS (USA), engaged in the collection, systematization, study and distribution of seismological data, presents a monitor of this type: 
Information is available on the site that displays the presence of earthquakes on the planet at the moment. Here their magnitude is shown, there is information for yesterday, as well as events 2 weeks or 5 years ago. You can consider in more detail the parts of the planet of interest by selecting the appropriate map from the list.
The situation in Russia
According to the statistics of earthquakes in Russia and the OSR (General Seismic Zoning) map, more than 26% of the area in the country is located in seismically hazardous zones. There may be shocks from 7 points. This includes Kamchatka, the Baikal region, the Kuriles, Altai, the North Caucasus and the Sayan Mountains. There are about 3,000 villages, about 100 thermal power plants and hydroelectric power stations, 5 nuclear power plants and enterprises of increased environmental danger.
Krasnodar region
There are about 28 districts of the region in the zone, of which there are approximately 4 million people. Among them is the large resort city of Sochi - according to earthquake statistics, the last seismic activity above 4 points was recorded in the fall of 2016. The Kuban is mostly located in the zone of 8–10 magnitude earthquakes (MSK-64 scale). This is the highest seismic hazard index throughout the Russian Federation.
The reason is the resumption of tectonic processes in 1980. Earthquake statistics in the Krasnodar Territory annually record about 250 seismic shocks of more than 2 points. Since 1973, 130 of them have been a strength of 4 points. Tremors with a magnitude of more than 6 points are recorded once every 5 years, and above 7 - once every 11 years. 
Irkutsk
Due to its location near the Baikal Rift, Irkutsk's earthquake statistics record up to 40 minor shocks every month. In August 2008, seismic activity with a magnitude of 6.2 was recorded. The epicenter was in Lake Baikal, where the indicator reached 7 points. Some buildings cracked, but no significant damage or casualties were recorded. In February 2016, another earthquake of magnitude 5.5 occurred.
Yekaterinburg
Despite the fact that the growth of the Ural Mountains has long ceased, the statistics of earthquakes in Yekaterinburg continues to be replenished with new data. In 2015, a 4.2 magnitude shock was recorded there, no one was injured.
Conclusion
Between the end of 2008 and 2011, there was a decrease in seismic activity on the planet, to a level of less than 2,500 cases per month and a magnitude above 4.5. However, after the earthquake in Japan in 2011, in the period from 2011 to 2016, there is a tendency to increase the activity of tremors around the world by almost 2 times. Earthquake statistics for recent years are as follows:
- tremors from 8 points and above - 1 time / year;
- from 7 to 7.9 points - 17 times / year;
- from 6 to 6.9 - 134 times / year;
- from 5 to 5.9 - 1319 times / year.
Predicting earthquakes is very difficult. Often you can say with certainty where it will happen, but when exactly it will happen is impossible to determine. However, there are biological precursors. On the eve of a strong earthquake, other representatives of the fauna living in this area begin to behave abnormally.
With best known strong earthquake in the history of mankind, which claimed the largest number of lives, occurred in Shaanxi and Henan in China. According to estimates, February 2, 1556 died 830 thousand people. In history 20th and 21st century recorded a colossal number of vibrations of the earth's crust of enormous force, resulting in numerous human casualties. According to experts, the number major earthquakes is growing every year. Also, almost 150 earthquakes small magnitude. Observers attribute this to the approach of the mysterious planet Nibiru.
We bring to your attention the most strong and large earthquakes that happened on our planet in the 20th and 21st century, each of which entailed a huge number of deaths, piles of destroyed buildings and houses, a record number of people left homeless. Position in the ranking described earthquakes very conditional.
† Considered to be one of the most major 20th and 21st century Tien Shan earthquake July 28, 1976 magnitude 7.9. Death toll reaches 750,000.
† In 1950 in the state of Assam (India) there was such a strong earthquake that all seismographs went off scale. Its magnitude was 9 on the Richter scale.
† February 4, 1976 due to the appearance of a crack in the Motagua fault in Guatemala over 1 million inhabitants left homeless in an instant.
† Most strongest earthquake in the 20th century on the scale of the Japanese seismologist Kanamori was observed on May 22, 1960 in Chile. Then died at least 10 thousand people. Large cities were destroyed - Concepcion, which existed for more than 400 years, Valdivia, Puerto Montt, Osorno and others. More than 1,000 km of the Pacific coast suffered from the rampant elements. The coastal strip with an area of 10 thousand square meters. km fell below ocean level and was covered by a two-meter layer of water. 14 volcanoes woke up. A series of subsequent shocks claimed the lives of 5,700 people and left another 100,000 homeless. The amount of damage was estimated at $ 400 million, 20% of the country's industrial complex was destroyed. For 7 days (May 21-30), almost the entire countryside of Chile turned into ruins. The monstrous destruction on the coast was supplemented by a giant tsunami. In particular, the port of Ancund, the capital of the island of Chiloe, was washed away. And on Easter Island, a 10-meter wave scattered, like grains of sand, multi-ton (up to 80 tons) stones of an ancient ritual structure - ahu Tongariki.
† Trouble came to the city of Verny (today Alma-Ata) on the eve of the new year 1911. The area of complete destruction (9-11 points) covered the territory area of 15 thousand square meters. km. Mountain ranges and valleys were cut by faults up to 200 km long. The band of the greatest violations of the earth's surface (500 m wide and 100 km long) was recorded on the southern coast of Issyk-Kul. Millions of tons of soil have been displaced.
† The Greatest Seismic Disaster 20th century occurred on August 15, 1950 in the highlands of Tibet. The energy roughly corresponded to the force of the explosion 100 thousand atomic bombs. The total weight of the displaced rocks was about 2 billion tons. Eyewitness accounts were terrifying. A deafening roar erupted from the bowels of the earth. In Calcutta, more than 1,000 kilometers away, underground vibrations caused residents to experience seasickness. Cars were thrown back by 800 m, a 300 m long section of the railway track was lowered by almost 5 m, and the road was completely destroyed.
† Strong 11-12-point earthquake broke out on December 4, 1957 in the south of Mongolia. It began around noon with a strong jolt. The inhabitants managed to run out of the premises, and when the subsequent main blow wiped the buildings off the face of the earth, there was almost no one left in them. Huge dark clouds of dust rose above the mountains, hiding the peaks at first. The dust quickly spread, covering the entire 230 km mountain range. Visibility did not exceed 100 m. The air cleared up only after two days. Soil fluctuations were observed in an area of 5 million square meters. km.
† August 31, 2012 in the central part of the Philippine archipelago occurred major earthquake magnitude 7.6, causing significant damage to roads and bridges. Residents of the island of Samar hurried to take refuge on high ground, fearing a possible tsunami. The epicenter of the earthquake was located 146 km from the island. The source of the tremors lay at a depth of 32 km. Fortunately, strong earthquake did not trigger a tsunami.
† On March 11, 2011, more than 20 major earthquakes of the 21st century, the strongest with a magnitude of up to 8.9 on the Richter scale. In Tokyo, buildings swayed, a major highway collapsed. A 10-meter-high tsunami reached the island of Honshu, and a six-meter-high one hit the island of Hokkaido. In Miyagi Prefecture, water washed away not only boats, houses and cars, but also tanks from a military factory. The nuclear power plant stopped its work. The authorities have decided to close Narita International Airport in Tokyo. The cataclysm led to a shift in the Earth's axis of rotation by almost ten centimeters ... The official death toll in 12 prefectures of Japan is 15,870 people, 2846 people are missing in 6 prefectures, 6110 injured in 20 prefectures. 3,400 houses were completely or partially destroyed. The city of Rikuzentakata, located in the northeastern prefecture of Iwate, has almost completely submerged under water. Strong explosion occurred at the oil storage of the oil company Cosmo Oil in the city of Likihara, in the suburbs of Tokyo. Explosions at the Fukushima nuclear power plant led to a radiation leak ... A ghost loomed over the world again nuclear death, and the suburbs of Tokyo could well become one of.
† Late August 2012 series earthquakes devastated the inhabitants of the small town of Broly in California. Here 400 happened in 4 days weak and moderate tremors. Nature reminded that it is necessary to be ready for anything, because this is an earthquake-prone area.
We talked about the most formidable natural disasters 20th and 21st century - earthquakes, the force and consequences of which could well lead to an unprecedented global catastrophe of the Earth. The threat of global disaster is real. The same elements that created our fragile planet can also destroy it. The earth is not ready for strong, large earthquakes magnitude 10 or more.
Strong earthquakes have occurred throughout human history, with the earliest recorded almost 2,000 years before our era. But it has only been in the last century that our technological abilities have reached the point where the impact of these disasters can be fully measured. Our ability to study earthquakes has made it possible to avoid catastrophic casualties, as in the case of a tsunami, when people have the opportunity to evacuate from a potentially dangerous area. But unfortunately, the warning system does not always work. There are several examples of earthquakes where the most damage was caused by the subsequent tsunami and not by the earthquake itself. People have improved building standards, improved early warning systems, but have not been able to completely protect themselves from disasters. There are many different ways to estimate the strength of an earthquake. Some people go by the value on the Richter scale, others by the number of deaths and injuries, or even the monetary value of the damaged property. This list of the 12 most powerful earthquakes combines all of these methods in one.
Lisbon earthquake
The great Lisbon earthquake hit the capital of Portugal on November 1st, 1755 and brought great destruction. They were aggravated by the fact that it was All Saints Day and thousands of people came to mass in the church. Churches, like most other buildings, could not withstand the elements and collapsed, killing people. Subsequently, a tsunami hit 6 meters high. Approximately 80,000 died due to fires caused by the destruction. Many famous writers and philosophers have dealt with the Lisbon earthquake in their writings. For example, Emmanuel Kant, who tried to find a scientific explanation for what happened.
California earthquake
A massive earthquake hit California in April 1906. Having gone down in history like the San Francisco earthquake, it caused damage to a much wider area. Downtown San Francisco was destroyed by the huge fire that followed. Initial figures mentioned 700 to 800 deaths, although researchers claim that the real list of victims was more than 3,000 people. More than half of San Francisco's population lost their homes as 28,000 buildings were destroyed by the earthquake and fires.
Messina earthquake
One of Europe's biggest earthquakes struck Sicily and southern Italy in the early hours of December 28th, 1908, killing an estimated 120,000 people. The main epicenter of the damage was Messina, which was actually destroyed by the disaster. A 7.5-magnitude earthquake was accompanied by a tsunami that hit the coast. A recent study suggested that the size of the waves was so huge due to an underwater landslide. Much of the damage was due to the poor quality of the buildings in Messina and other parts of Sicily. 
Haiyuan earthquake
One of the deadliest earthquakes on the list occurred in December 1920 with its epicenter at Haiyuan Chinha. At least 230,000 people died. With a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale, the earthquake destroyed almost every home in the region, causing significant damage to major cities like Lanzhou, Taiyuan and Xi'an. Incredibly, the waves from the earthquake were visible even off the coast of Norway. According to a recent study, Haiyuan was the strongest earthquake in China during the 20th century. The researchers also questioned the official death toll, suggesting it could have been over 270,000. This number is 59 percent of the population in the Haiyuan area. The Haiyuan earthquake is considered one of the most devastating natural Disasters in history. 
Chilean earthquake
A total of 1,655 were killed and 3,000 were injured after a 9.5 magnitude earthquake struck Chile in 1960. Seismologists have called it the strongest earthquake ever recorded. 2 million people were left homeless, and economic losses amounted to $500 million. The force of the earthquake triggered a tsunami, with casualties in places as far away as Japan, Hawaii and the Philippines. In some parts of Chile, waves have moved the ruins of buildings up to 3 kilometers inland. The strong Chilean earthquake of 1960 caused a gigantic tear in the ground, extending for 1,000 kilometers. 
Earthquake in Alaska
On March 27th, 1964 a strong 9.2 earthquake hit the Prince William Sound area in Alaska. As the second strongest recorded earthquake, it resulted in a relatively low number of deaths (192 deaths). However, significant property damage took place in Anchorage, and all 47 states of the United States felt trembling. Due to significant improvements in research technology, the Alaska earthquake has provided scientists with valuable seismic data, allowing much better understanding of the nature of such phenomena. 
Earthquake Kobe
In 1995, Japan was hit by one of the most powerful earthquakes ever, when a 7.2 magnitude strike hit the Kobe region in south-central Japan. Although it was not the most severe ever observed, the devastating impact was experienced by a significant part of the population - approximately 10 million people living in a densely populated area. A total of 5,000 died and 26,000 were injured. The US Geological Survey estimated damage at $200 billion, with infrastructure and buildings destroyed. 
Sumatra and Andaman earthquake
The tsunami that hit all countries of the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004 killed at least 230,000 people. It was triggered by a large underwater earthquake off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. His strength was measured at 9.1 on the Richter scale. The previous earthquake in Sumatra happened in 2002. This is believed to have been a seismic foreshock, and several aftershocks occurred during 2005. The main reason for the huge number of casualties was the lack of any early warning system in the Indian Ocean capable of detecting the approaching Tsunami. To the shores of some countries, where tens of thousands of people died, a giant wave went for at least several hours. 
Earthquake Kashmir
Jointly administered by Pakistan and India, Kashmir was hit by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake in October 2005. At least 80,000 people died and 4 million were left homeless. Rescue work was hampered by conflicts between the two countries fighting over the territory. The situation was exacerbated by the rapid onset of winter and the destruction of many roads in the region. Eyewitnesses spoke of entire areas of cities literally sliding off the cliffs due to the destructive elements. 
Disaster in Haiti
Port-au-Prince was hit by an earthquake on January 12, 2010, leaving half the population of the capital without their homes. The death toll is still disputed and ranges from 160,000 to 230,000 people. A recent report drew attention to the fact that by the fifth anniversary of the disaster, 80,000 people still live on the street. The impact of the earthquake has brought with it terrible poverty in Haiti, which is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Many buildings in the capital were not built in accordance with seismic requirements, and the people of a completely destroyed country did not have any means of subsistence, except for the international assistance provided. 
Tohoku earthquake in Japan
The biggest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl was caused by a 9-magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Japan on March 11, 2011. Scientists estimate that during the 6-minute earthquake of colossal magnitude, 108 kilometers of the seabed rose to a height of 6 to 8 meters. This caused a large tsunami that damaged the coast of Japan's northern islands. The nuclear power plant at Fukushima was badly damaged and attempts to save the situation are still ongoing. The official death toll is 15,889, although 2,500 people are still missing. Many areas have become uninhabitable due to nuclear radiation. 
Christchurch
The worst natural disaster in New Zealand's history claimed 185 lives on February 22nd, 2011 when Christchurch was hit by a massive 6.3 magnitude earthquake. More than half of the deaths were caused by the collapse of the CTV building, which was built in violation of seismic regulations. Thousands of other houses were also destroyed, among them the city's cathedral. The government has declared a state of emergency in the country so that rescue work can proceed as quickly as possible. More than 2,000 people were injured and reconstruction costs exceeded $40 billion. But in December 2013, the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce said that three years after the tragedy, only 10 percent of the city had been rebuilt.
This list contains the strongest earthquakes (on the Richter scale - magnitude) in the history of observations.
Assam, Tibet
1950, magnitude 8.6, epicenter Tibet
The earthquake caused very strong landslides that blocked entire rivers. Then, only in the eastern part of Tibet and in the state of Assam in India, approximately 1,500 people died.
North Sumatra, Indonesia
The earthquake killed more than 100 people and injured hundreds of varying degrees of severity, mostly on the island of Nias, in the eastern Indian Ocean. This is the second strongest earthquake to hit the island. A couple of months before that, there was another one that ranked third in the list of the strongest earthquakes in the world.
Rat Islands, Alaska
1965 magnitude 8.7
A powerful earthquake caused a tsunami that reached a height of 10 meters. But despite its strength, the earthquake did not bring terrible consequences, mainly due to the remoteness of the islands and due to the fact that these islands are uninhabited. The tsunami was recorded in Hawaii and even Japan.
coast of Ecuador, Colombia
1906 magnitude 8.8
The earthquake triggered a giant tsunami that claimed the lives of approximately 1,500 people. The tsunami reached the shores of Central America, San Francisco and Japan.
Maule Region, Chile
More than 500 people became victims of the earthquake and the tsunami that followed, and 800,000 people were left homeless. In total, more than 1.8 million people were affected by the earthquake, and the damage caused exceeded $ 30 billion. The source of the earthquake occurred on the border between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates at a depth of 35 km.
Kamchatka, Russia (USSR)
The first scientifically recorded earthquake with a whopping 9 on the Richter scale was recorded precisely on the eastern coast of Kamchatka, in the Pacific Ocean at about 5 o'clock in the morning. As a result of the earthquake, a tsunami (15–18 meters high) was formed, which destroyed the city of Severo-Kurilsk. Then 2,336 people died.
east coast of japan
in 2011, magnitude 9
March 11, 2011 is a sad date for Japan. An earthquake in the Western Pacific caused a tsunami 130 km east of the city of Sendai, killing 29,000 people and damaging several nuclear reactors.
west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia
The third strongest earthquake occurred underwater in the Indian Ocean. It caused a giant tsunami, which is considered the deadliest natural disaster in modern history. The tsunami reached 14 countries, mainly in Southeast Asia and East Africa. Then, according to various estimates, from 225 to 300 thousand people died (the exact figure is unknown since many people were carried away by water into the ocean), another 1,700,000 were left without a roof.
Great Alaska Earthquake, USA
The earthquake and the tsunami that followed claimed the lives of about 130 people. And the economic losses amounted to approximately $ 311 million. This terrible event took place on Good Friday.
The strongest earthquake in the history of observation was a magnitude 9.5, which formed a devastating tsunami, waves that reached 10 meters in height. Then 5,700 people died in Chile, 61 people in Hawaii and 130 in Japan. Damage to 1960 prices amounted to approximately half a billion dollars.
Strong earthquakes have occurred throughout human history, with the earliest recorded almost 2,000 years before our era. But it has only been in the last century that our technological abilities have reached the point where the impact of these disasters can be fully measured.
Our ability to study earthquakes has made it possible to avoid catastrophic casualties, as in the case of a tsunami, when people have the opportunity to evacuate from a potentially dangerous area. But unfortunately, the warning system does not always work. There are several examples of earthquakes where the most damage was caused by the subsequent tsunami and not by the earthquake itself. People have improved building standards, improved early warning systems, but have not been able to completely protect themselves from disasters. There are many different ways to estimate the strength of an earthquake. Some people go by the value on the Richter scale, others by the number of deaths and injuries, or even the monetary value of the damaged property.
This list of the 12 most powerful earthquakes combines all of these methods in one.
Lisbon earthquake
The great Lisbon earthquake hit the capital of Portugal on November 1st, 1755 and brought great destruction. They were aggravated by the fact that it was All Saints Day and thousands of people came to mass in the church. Churches, like most other buildings, could not withstand the elements and collapsed, killing people. Subsequently, a tsunami hit 6 meters high. Approximately 80,000 died due to fires caused by the destruction. Many famous writers and philosophers have dealt with the Lisbon earthquake in their writings. For example, Emmanuel Kant, who tried to find a scientific explanation for what happened 
California earthquake
A massive earthquake hit California in April 1906. Having gone down in history like the San Francisco earthquake, it caused damage to a much wider area. Downtown San Francisco was destroyed by the huge fire that followed. The initial figures mentioned 700 to 800 deaths, although the researchers claim that the real list of victims was more than 3,000 people. More than half of San Francisco's population lost their homes as 28,000 buildings were destroyed by the earthquake and fires. 
Messina earthquake
One of Europe's biggest earthquakes struck Sicily and southern Italy in the early hours of December 28th, 1908, killing an estimated 120,000 people. The main epicenter of the damage was Messina, which was actually destroyed by the disaster. A 7.5-magnitude earthquake was accompanied by a tsunami that hit the coast. A recent study suggested that the size of the waves was so huge due to an underwater landslide. Much of the damage was due to the poor quality of the buildings in Messina and other parts of Sicily. 
Haiyuan earthquake
One of the deadliest earthquakes on the list occurred in December 1920 with its epicenter at Haiyuan Chinha. At least 230,000 people died. With a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale, the earthquake destroyed almost every home in the region, causing significant damage to major cities like Lanzhou, Taiyuan and Xi'an. Incredibly, the waves from the earthquake were visible even off the coast of Norway. According to a recent study, Haiyuan was the strongest earthquake in China during the 20th century. The researchers also questioned the official death toll, suggesting it could have been over 270,000. This number is 59 percent of the population in the Haiyuan area. The Haiyuan earthquake is considered one of the most devastating natural disasters in history. 
Chilean earthquake
A total of 1,655 were killed and 3,000 were injured after a 9.5 magnitude earthquake struck Chile in 1960. Seismologists have called it the strongest earthquake ever recorded. 2 million people were left homeless, and economic losses amounted to $500 million. The force of the earthquake triggered a tsunami, with casualties in places as far away as Japan, Hawaii and the Philippines. In some parts of Chile, waves have moved the ruins of buildings up to 3 kilometers inland. The strong Chilean earthquake of 1960 caused a gigantic tear in the ground, extending for 1,000 kilometers. 
Earthquake in Alaska
On March 27th, 1964 a strong 9.2 earthquake hit the Prince William Sound area in Alaska. As the second strongest recorded earthquake, it resulted in a relatively low number of deaths (192 deaths). However, significant property damage took place in Anchorage, and all 47 states of the United States felt trembling. Due to significant improvements in research technology, the Alaska earthquake has provided scientists with valuable seismic data, allowing much better understanding of the nature of such phenomena. 
Earthquake Kobe
In 1995, Japan was hit by one of the most powerful earthquakes ever, when a 7.2 magnitude strike hit the Kobe region in south-central Japan. Although it was not the most severe ever observed, the devastating impact was experienced by a significant part of the population - approximately 10 million people living in a densely populated area. A total of 5,000 died and 26,000 were injured. The US Geological Survey estimated damage at $200 billion, with infrastructure and buildings destroyed. 
Sumatra and Andaman earthquake
The tsunami that hit all countries of the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004 killed at least 230,000 people. It was triggered by a large underwater earthquake off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. His strength was measured at 9.1 on the Richter scale. The previous earthquake in Sumatra happened in 2002. This is believed to have been a seismic foreshock, and several aftershocks occurred during 2005. The main reason for the huge number of casualties was the lack of any early warning system in the Indian Ocean capable of detecting the approaching Tsunami. To the shores of some countries, where tens of thousands of people died, a giant wave went for at least several hours. 
Earthquake Kashmir
Jointly administered by Pakistan and India, Kashmir was hit by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake in October 2005. At least 80,000 people died and 4 million were left homeless. Rescue work was hampered by conflicts between the two countries fighting over the territory. The situation was exacerbated by the rapid onset of winter and the destruction of many roads in the region. Eyewitnesses spoke of entire areas of cities literally sliding off the cliffs due to the destructive elements. 
Disaster in Haiti
Port-au-Prince was hit by an earthquake on January 12, 2010, leaving half the population of the capital without their homes. The death toll is still disputed and ranges from 160,000 to 230,000 people. A recent report drew attention to the fact that by the fifth anniversary of the disaster, 80,000 people still live on the street. The impact of the earthquake has brought with it terrible poverty in Haiti, which is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Many buildings in the capital were not built in accordance with seismic requirements, and the people of a completely destroyed country did not have any means of subsistence, except for the international assistance provided. 
Tohoku earthquake in Japan
The biggest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl was caused by a 9-magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Japan on March 11, 2011. Scientists estimate that during the 6-minute earthquake of colossal magnitude, 108 kilometers of the seabed rose to a height of 6 to 8 meters. This caused a large tsunami that damaged the coast of Japan's northern islands. The nuclear power plant at Fukushima was badly damaged and attempts to save the situation are still ongoing. The official death toll is 15,889, although 2,500 people are still missing. Many areas have become uninhabitable due to nuclear radiation. 
Christchurch
The worst natural disaster in New Zealand's history claimed 185 lives on February 22nd, 2011 when Christchurch was hit by a massive 6.3 magnitude earthquake. More than half of the deaths were caused by the collapse of the CTV building, which was built in violation of seismic regulations. Thousands of other houses were also destroyed, among them the city's cathedral. The government has declared a state of emergency in the country so that rescue work can proceed as quickly as possible. More than 2,000 people were injured and reconstruction costs exceeded $40 billion. But in December 2013, the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce said that three years after the tragedy, only 10 percent of the city had been rebuilt. 
