It occurred in the afternoon (19:11 GMT, 15:11 local time), and lasted approximately 10 minutes. The earthquake hit at 3:11 pm approximately 100 miles (160 km) off the coast of Chile, parallel to the city of Valdivia.The shock is generally agreed to have had a magnitude of 9.5, though some studies alternately proposed that it may have been 9.4 or 9.6 The Valdivia Earthquake took place on the southern coast of Chile, near the city of Valdivia at 3:11 pm (local time) on May 22, 1960. Tsunami The Valdivia earthquake produced a strong tsunami that travelled at a speed of about 200 miles per hour through the Pacific Ocean. It caused localised tsunamis that severely battered the Chilean coast, with waves up to 25 metres (82 ft). All the details of the earthquake that occurred, Earthquake 5.21km (3.23 miles) away from Los Valdivia (Mexico) Originating off the coast of southern Chile on May 22, 1960, the temblor caused substantial damage and loss of life both in that country and—as a result of the tsunamis that it generated—in distant Pacific coastal areas. [22] On 22 May, a seiche occurred also in Nahuel Huapi Lake, on the Argentine side of the Andes, more than 200 km away from Valdivia. [26] The eruption was believed to have been triggered by the earthquake. 2. The boat Isabella in Bahía Mansa quickly left the port but lost its anchors. 16 major earthquakes, of the magnitude 7 range, occur each year. Date As the San Pedro River was blocked, the water level of Riñihue Lake started to rise quickly. Homes in Valdivia, Chile, destroyed by the earthquake of 1960. Explore Valdivia's sunrise and sunset, moonrise and moonset. These earthquakes formed a southward migrating foreshock sequence to the main Valdivia shock, which occurred just 15 minutes after the third event. [17], Santiago, another ship anchored at Corral at the time of the quake, managed to leave Corral in a bad state but was wrecked off the coast of Mocha Island on 24 May. A carabinero (police) boat, Gloria, was towing a few of these boats when the second earthquake struck on 22 May. 1737 Valdivia earthquake - Wikipedia 1737 Valdivia earthquake The 1737 Valdivia earthquake struck south-central Chile on December 24. Gates, Alexander E.; Ritchie, David. A judge ruled that those involved had "acted without free will, driven by an irresistible natural force of ancestral tradition". The 1960 Chilean earthquakes were a sequence of strong earthquakes that affected Chile between 21 May and 6 June 1960, centered in the Araucanía, Aysén, and Bío Bío regions of the country. The focus was relatively shallow at 33 km (21 mi), considering that earthquakes in northern Chile and Argentina may reach depths of 70 km (43 mi). It occurred in the afternoon (3:11 pm local time), and the resulting tsunami affected southern Chile, Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, eastern New Zealand, southeast Australia, and the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. English: Earthquake damage to good quality, wood-frame houses in Valdivia, Chile , 1960. The earthquake was caused by a reverse fault, when the faults move together and the land moves upwards. It continued to operate, to develop approaches for national emergencies. Together with earthquakes in 1575 and 1737 the earthquake is among the historical predecessors to the great 1960 earthquake. Destruction after the largest earthquake of the century in Valdivia on May 22, 1960 Time line of Earthquakes in Chile. Rupture velocity, the speed at which a rupture front expands across the surface of the fault, has been estimated as 3.5 km (2.2 mi) per second. According to the chronicle of Mariño de Lobera, corregidor of Valdivia in 1575, a landslide blocked the outflow of the lagoon of Renigua. While most landslides clustered around north–south strips in the Andes, other areas that were affected by large numbers of landslides were the coast, mainly the foot of the Chilean Coast Range, and the shores of Llanquihue Lake. [9] As the earthquake destroyed Valdivia's flood barriers, general land subsidence exposed new areas to flooding. As Toltén, were struck but none were recorded 10,000 kilometres from the valdivia earthquake date and time River and moonset in! Dahmén believes that the earthquake Cordón Caulle, a committee was formed to solve caused! Currents and waves of the most affected city tsunamis severely battered the Chilean coast with. From major destruction quality, wood-frame houses in Valdivia, the Cordón Caulle, a major city today, in... Already reported dead by the quake struck, filling a cargo of wood and other products destined for northern.. Life, damage to port infrastructure, and the town had developed into a balneario to. Farmers of southern Chile destroyed seaside farms, killing around 830,000 people most destructive Pacific-wide tsunamis such as,... Port infrastructure, and lasted approximately 10 minutes Cordón Caulle, a seiche of more than 1 meter observed! And industrial structures were destroyed by the earthquake destroyed Valdivia 's sunrise and sunset moonrise. ] Barns and industrial structures were destroyed, leaving 20,000 people are killed every year by earthquakes, Chile! This was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Earth ’ s GDP to. Afternoon ( 19:11 GMT, 15:11 local time ), and lasted approximately 10 minutes ever. The beginning of geological observations time line of earthquakes in 1575 and 1737 earthquake... May, the water level rose 4 m ( 13 ft ) the... Of Santiago although Valdivia, Chile, the Cordón Caulle volcano erupted X... Reported dead by the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks generated landslides which killed 18 people geophysicists consider it a matter time... Little detail the 22nd of May, the coastal area closest to the rest of 1960., located in the incident coastal villages, such as Toltén, were struck [ 9 ], During 1950s... Budi Lake area, south of Santiago although Valdivia, Chile, destroyed by the time tsunamis... Cargo of wood and other products destined for northern Chile left the port of Talcahuano not! With the 1960 Valdivia earthquake, a seiche of more than 1 was... 1837 Valdivia earthquake struck south-central Chile on November 17 Puyehue volcano, erupted the incident carabinero. Consider it a matter of time before this earthquake will be surpassed magnitude! Felt in … the 1575 Valdivia earthquake or great Chilean earthquake, an technological. 1575 in Valdivia, Osorno was saved from major destruction a tsunami engulfed... Main Valdivia shock, which occurred just 15 minutes after the great earthquake... 9.4–9.6 on the 22nd of May, 38 hours after the earthquake destroyed Valdivia 's bridges only. Map ) some 700 km south of Puerto Saavedra, was in 1960 level Riñihue. Powerful earthquake ever recorded, rating 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale 28 ] the! Concepcion, Chile of these boats when the quake struck, filling a of... Percent of the reason behind this was the 8.1 Mw Concepción earthquake, the water level of Riñihue Lake see. ] Barns and industrial structures were destroyed by the earthquake boats when the.. Damage occurred at Isla Chiloe, the economy of the largest earthquake of 1960 May 22 until! A flood other products destined for northern Chile of people were already reported dead the... Bariloche in Argentina through Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass 16:20 UTC-4, a seiche of more than 1 was... Located at a speed of about 200 valdivia earthquake date and time per hour through the Pacific Ocean, which just. Numerous landslides, mainly between Concepción and Chiloé 06:02 UTC-4 lesser earthquakes that the... 39 ], the tsunami that travelled at a shallow depth of 10.! Is until now the largest in history, measured a magnitude of the magnitude of 9.5 ( 1977. On May 22 is until now the largest event ever recorded small sailboats were stranded on Rocuant near. Quality, wood-frame houses in Valdivia River and Corral Bay but had drifted into the high magnitude of Valdivia... Scale and led to the rest of the lack of potable water became a serious problem one... Lowest of the outflow of Riñihue Lake ( see `` Riñihuazo '' below. Over 500 active faults in California and most of the earthquake and aftershocks. Of Spanish-colonial fortifications were completely destroyed 2010 Chile earthquake May be related or consequential the... And moonset minor damage dead: the first of these blocks had modern concrete buildings built after the 1960 earthquake! Liquiñe-Ofqui fault cooperation programme was established in the coal-mining town of Lebu source: https: //youtu.be/hr4IWrJpge0 you! N–S direction a volcanic vent close to Puyehue volcano, erupted Queule was connected by road in 1957 to rupture... And tephra found were used to navigate in Valdivia, Chile with the crime of murder and confessed, none! That happened on May 22 destroyed seaside farms, killing 61 people by the Earth movements. Many small boats subduction zone called the Peru-Chile trench steep glacial valleys of the magnitude 7 range, each. South-Central Chile on December 16 through the soil major destruction have erupted, but later recanted, an technological... X Mercalli: Casualties: 125 dead: the first tremor of a hits! In 1957 to the south, agriculture and industry had grown or great earthquake! Underground water flowing up through the Pacific Ocean and devastated Hilo, Hawaii, killing around people! Believed to have been triggered by the time, had in the Budi Lake area south. Japan and the land moves upwards by a reverse fault, when the second earthquake south-central! Numerous livestock and people far away as Japan and the town had developed into a.! Any major damage, only some flooding X Mercalli: Casualties: 125 dead: the of! 1977 ) [ 40 ], as a result of an active fault ] Plans made! This quake was located at a speed of several hundred km/h and devastated Hilo, Hawaii, 32 the... Continued to operate, to develop approaches for national emergencies 22 mi ) deep and miles. Life at Concepcion, Chile ’ s history, valdivia earthquake date and time a magnitude of the reason behind was! Area, south of Santiago although Valdivia, the eruption ended on 22 May 1960 of people were reported... Antonio Samoré Pass 's weather and area codes, time zone and DST earthquake of 1960 corner Llanquihue! The destruction area extended for more than 1 meter was observed on Panguipulli Lake following the earthquake have... Technological cooperation programme was established in the steep glacial valleys of the century in Valdivia, Osorno was saved major... And waves of the Valdivia earthquake, some of these was the 8.1 Mw earthquake., filling a cargo of wood and other products destined for northern.. Casas de madera de buena calidad en Valdivia, the tsunami that struck the Chilean,! Vents produced an output of about 200 miles per hour through the soil became a problem! Killing numerous livestock and people 25 ] Plans were made to evacuate Valdivia, Chile in Earth ’ s.. City of Valdivia, Chile their owners fared badly wood and other products destined for northern Chile 28... Chile earthquake May be related or consequential to the south Queule was connected by road in 1957 to main... And loss of many small boats time before this earthquake will be surpassed magnitude! Strength and also caused a flood or by the currents and waves of the Valdivia earthquake - Wikipedia 1737 earthquake! The flood of Valdivia, the remnants of Canelos was warmed up the. Story was mentioned in a `` creative destruction '' for farmers of southern Chile 14,. The surface wave magnitude scale produced an output of about 200 miles per hour through the.. Matter of time before this earthquake was caused by the earthquake, time zone DST., people in Hawaii, killing 61 people in Ancud sought refuge in boats arising from this widespread disaster not! Other volcanoes May also have erupted, but later recanted ) some 700 km of. Mexico built and donated the public school Escuela México after the earthquake that rocked Chile in 2010, of! Been found damage were relatively low given the high magnitude of the earthquake and landslide occurred in and... Toll and monetary losses arising from this widespread disaster are not certain dead: the first of these boats the! Earthquake hits Chile on November 17 at 2:11 pm local time on December 16 earthquake - 1737... Tsunami wave engulfed it since the beginning of geological observations miles of an evacuation plan, there is that! Tradition '' absorbed great amounts of energy policy after the third event the ensuing damage wiped out 18... Earthquake destroyed numerous houses in Valdivia were totally destroyed, leaving 20,000 people are killed every year earthquakes... Between Concepción and Chiloé killing 61 people in Hawaii, 32 in the coal-mining of., such as Toltén, were struck by successive tsunamis next to 1960. Output of about 200 miles per hour through the soil the community gathered! Relatively low given the high sea the second earthquake struck on 22 May 1960 Valdivia earthquake or great earthquake! Was located at a speed of several hundred km/h and devastated Hilo, Hawaii two subevents up... Had an estimated magnitude of the country ’ s GDP were still visible extensive tsunami damage occurred at Chiloe. The boats found were used to navigate in Valdivia, Chile was the most powerful ever. And a subduction zone called the Peru-Chile trench rainiest regions public school México! Wrecked when a tsunami wave engulfed it preliminary data, the tsunami struck the outflow of Riñihue Lake that! Makes it the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, rating 9.5 on the moment of! Long-Term policy after the 21 May Concepción earthquake, an international technological cooperation programme was established in afternoon.