Great Chilean Earthquake: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

On May 22, 1960, an earthquake, measuring 9.5 on the Richter scale (9.5 M_W, 8.6 M_S) affected Southern Chile. It had its epicenter in Valdivia, Chile approx. 700 km south of Santiago. The earthquake caused a tsunami which ran through the Pacific Ocean and devastated Hilo, Hawaii, 10000km from the epicenter. The total number of casualties from the earthquake was estimated to be up to 3000. This was the largest earthquake with a recorded size in history; however, it wasn't the deadliest. Earthquakes in China have been known to kill as many as 850,000 people, such as the one in Shaanxi and Kansu in 1556 (see the List of earthquakes).