World Map › Major Earthquakes Since 1900 › 1960
Historic Earthquake
1960 Valdivia Earthquake
22 May 1960 · Puerto Montt, Valdivia · Chile
On 22 May 1960 at 19:11 UTC, a magnitude 9.5 earthquake struck Chile (Puerto Montt, Valdivia), at a depth of 33 km. It occurred on the South American Plate, 109 km from its boundary with the Nazca Plate (subduction zone). It killed at least 2,226 people (including tsunami victims) and injured 3,000. 58,622 homes were destroyed. It is the 94th deadliest and the 1st most powerful of the earthquakes recorded since 1900.
- Date
- 22 May 1960
- Time
- 19:11 UTC
- Magnitude
- 9.5
- Depth
- 33 km
- Maximum Intensity
- XII (Mercalli)
- Deaths
- 2,226
- Injuries
- 3,000
- Homes Destroyed
- 58,622
- Estimated Damage
- 1.0 billion US dollars
- Tsunami
- See the tsunami (25.0 m wave)
- Plate
- South American Plate
- Country
- Chile
- Nearest Volcano
- Tolhuaca (155 km)
Nearby Major Earthquakes
Other major earthquakes recorded within 300 km.
- 20102010 Chile Earthquake · M 8.8558 deaths
- 1975Central · M 7.7
- 1962Central · M 7.3
- 1960Concepcion · M 7.4
- 19601960 Concepción Earthquake · M 8.2
- 19531953 Concepción Earthquake · M 7.69 deaths
- 1949Angol, Traiguen · M 7.357 deaths
- 19391939 Chillán Earthquake · M 8.330,000 deaths
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Significant Earthquake Database (doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K) · Wikidata · Bird (2003), PB2002 · Natural Earth