Which Earthquake Was the Strongest Ever Recorded?

The Valdivia Earthquake struck southern Chile at 3:11 PM local time on 22 May 1960, with a magnitude of 9.5 — releasing roughly 25% of all seismic energy released during the entire 20th century. The rupture zone extended about 1,000 km along the Chilean subduction zone, with displacement of up to 25 metres. The earthquake triggered landslides, volcanic eruptions (Cordon Caulle erupted two days later), and a devastating tsunami that crossed the Pacific Ocean. Waves up to 25 metres hit the Chilean coast within minutes; 15 hours later, 10-metre waves struck Hawaii, killing 61 people; and 22 hours after the earthquake, waves reached Japan, killing 138 people. Total death toll estimates range from 1,000 to 6,000. The earthquake caused parts of the Chilean coastline to subside by up to 2 metres and raised other areas by similar amounts, permanently altering the geography.