The powerful 8.8 magnitude temblor set off a series of warnings in Hawaii, North and Central America and Pacific islands south towards New Zealand, with officials warning that the potential tsunami danger may last for more than a day
Emergency service specialists inspect a kindergarten damaged by an earthquake in Russia. PIC/AFP
One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck Russia's Far East early Wednesday, resulting in small tsunami waves in Japan and Alaska and prompting authorities to issue alerts for residents around the Pacific to be on alert or move to higher ground.
The powerful 8.8 magnitude temblor set off a series of warnings in Hawaii, North and Central America and Pacific islands south towards New Zealand, with officials warning that the potential tsunami danger may last for more than a day.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest-recorded earthquakes as on June 5, according to the US Geological Survey.
Biobío, Chile -1960
A 9.5 magnitude earthquake struck in a central region of Chile in 1960. Known as the Valdivia earthquake or Great Chilean earthquake, the largest-ever recorded temblor resulted in the death of more than 1,600 deaths in the country and beyond, most of which were caused by resulting large tsunami. Thousands of people were injured in the earthquake.
Alaska -1964
In 1964, a 9.2 magnitude earthquake jolted Alaska's Prince William Sound, lasting for almost five minutes and leading to the deaths of more than 130 people. This is the largest-recorded earthquake in the United States and had led to a tsunami thereafter. There were huge landslides and towering waves that caused severe flooding. The quake was followed by thousands of aftershocks for weeks.
Sumatra, Indonesia- 2004
A 9.1 magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit Southeast and South Asia along with East Africa in 2004, killing 2.3 lakh people. Indonesia alone recorded more than 1.67 lakh deaths as entire communities were wiped out in the disaster.
Tohoku, Japan- 2011
The 9.1- magnitude quake struck off the coast of northeastern Japan in 2011, triggering a towering tsunami that smashed into the Fukushima nuclear plant. It knocked out power and cooling systems and triggered meltdowns in three reactors. More than 18,000 people were killed in the quake and tsunami, some of whom have never been recovered.
Kamchatka, Russia- 1952
An earthquake of magnitude 9.0 caused significant damage in 1952. Despite the high magnitude and a subsequent tsunami that hit Hawaii with 9.1-meter (30-foot) waves, there were no reported deaths in the incident.
Biobío, Chile- 2010
A massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit central Chile in 2010, shaking the capital for a minute-and-a-half and setting off a tsunami. More than 500 people were killed in the disaster.
Esmeraldas, Ecuador- 1906
An 8.8 magnitude earthquake and the resulting tsunami killed about 1,500 people in Ecuador in 1906. Its effects were felt for miles along the Central American coast and as far as San Francisco and Japan.
Alaska- 1965
An 8.7-magnitude quake struck Alaska's Rat Islands in 1965, causing an 11-metre-high (35-foot) tsunami. There was some relatively minor damage, including cracks in buildings and an asphalt runway.
Tibet-1950
A disastrous quake had struck Tibet in 1950, leading to the deaths of at least 780 people. The quake, of magnitude 8.6, also destroyed dozens of villages, of which one slid into a river. There were also major landslides that jammed the Subansiri River in India. When the water eventually broke through, it resulted in a deadly 7-metre wave.
Sumatra, Indonesia- 2012
In 2012, a powerful 8.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the west coast of northern Sumatra in Indonesia. Though the quake caused little damage, it increased pressure on a fault that was the source of the devastating 2004 tsunami.
(With AP inputs)
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