Magnitude 9.5 Earthquake Struck 1960 Great Chilean Earthquake (Valdivia Earthquake) on May 22, 1960 19:11:20
Last Updated: 2022-04-26 16:30:06On May 22, 1960 19:11:20 an earthquake with magnitude of 9.5 on the richter scale hit 1960 Great Chilean Earthquake (Valdivia Earthquake). The earthquake originated at a depth of approximately 25.0 kilometers below the Earth's surface on longitude -73.407° and latitude -38.143°. According to documented reports people felt the earth quake, No tsunami was triggered due to the earthquake.
Magnitude & Depth
The earthquake that appeared on May 22, 1960 19:11:20 had a magnitude of 9.5 on the richter scale. Which is considered to be a great earthquake which has the potential to destroy entire communities.
Shallow earthquakes are considered between 0 and 70 km deep, while intermediate earthquakes range from 70 - 300 km deep and deep earthquakes are between 300 - 700 km deep.
Are shallow earthquakes more destructive?
Shallow quakes generally tend to be more damaging than deeper quakes. Seismic waves from deep quakes have to travel farther to the surface, losing energy along the way.
Nearby Cities and Towns
The nearest significant population center is Contulmo in BiobÃo, Chile, located 21 kilometers or 13 miles ↑ N of the earthquake's epicenter. Other cities in close proximity include Tirúa (BiobÃo, Chile) located 22 km (14 mi) ↓ S and Carahue (La AraucanÃa, Chile) located 66 km (41 mi) ↘ SE of the epicenter.
In total, we found 5 cities in our database that might have been impacted by the earthquake.
| Distance | Direction | City | State | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 km (13 mi) | ↑ N | Contulmo | BiobÃo | 🇨🇱 Chile |
| 22 km (14 mi) | ↓ S | Tirúa | BiobÃo | 🇨🇱 Chile |
| 66 km (41 mi) | ↘ SE | Carahue | La AraucanÃa | 🇨🇱 Chile |
| 71 km (44 mi) | ↘ SE | Saavedra | La AraucanÃa | 🇨🇱 Chile |
| 117 km (72 mi) | ↘ SE | Toltén | La AraucanÃa | 🇨🇱 Chile |
Data Information
Information found on this page is a derivative set, based on sources mentioned below.
Data Sources
We aggregate and combine data from USGS (United States Geographical Survey) and the EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre). This allow us to get near real-time and historical earthquake data dating back to the year 1950.
Disclaimer
Information or data found on this page should not be used for, or as an early warning system. It is intended as an historical reference or near real-time complementary information to offical and governmental sources. In an event of an emergency it is important closely monitor and follow advice from national, state and local authorities.