FIGURE3 The 10 largest earthquakes and 10 most destructive tsunamis in recorded history
Tohoku, Japan 11 March 2011 9.0 magnitude
Kamchatka, Russia 4 November 1952 9.0 magnitude
ARCTIC OCEAN
Prince William Sound, Alaska 28 March 1964 9.2 magnitude
Lisbon, Portugal 1 November 1755
Ryuku Islands, Japan 24 April 1771
Rat Islands, Alaska 2 April 1965 8.7 magnitude
Assam and Tibet 15 August 1950 8.6 magnitude
Sanriku, Japan – 15 June 1896
Tohoku, Japan – 11 March 2011
ATLANTIC
Ise Bay, Japan – 18 January 1586
Tropic of Cancer
Sumatra, Indonesia 28 March 2005 9.1 magnitude
Enshunada Sea, Japan – 20 September 1498
OCEAN
Nankaido, Japan – 28 October 1707
PACIFIC
Equator
Sumatra, Indonesia 26 December 2004
Off the coast of Ecuador 31 January 1906 8.8 magnitude
Krakatau, Indonesia 27 August 1883
Tropic of Capricorn
Northern Chile 13 August 1868
Sumatra, Indonesia 28 March 2005 8.6 magnitude
Top 10 most destructive tsunamis
OCEAN
Tsunami
Bio-Bio, Chile 27 February 2010 8.8 magnitude
Ranking
Top 10 largest earthquakes
Valdivia, Chile 22 May 1960 9.5 magnitude
0
2000
4000 km
Earthquake
Ranking
Source: Map drawn by Spatial Vision
SkillBuilder discussion Geographical inquiry 1. Identify and list the five largest earthquakes. 2. Identify and list the five most destructive tsunamis. 3. Choose one earthquake and one tsunami from your responses to questions 1 and 2 and research these events. Provide an outline of the economic, social and environmental impact of your chosen disasters.
Liquefaction Liquefaction occurs when soil suddenly loses strength and, mixed with groundwater, behaves like a liquid. This usually occurs as a result of ground shaking during a large earthquake. The types of soils that can liquefy include loose sands and silts that are below the water table, so all the space between the grains is filled with water. Dry soils above the water table will not liquefy. Once a soil liquefies, it cannot support the weight of the dry soil, roads, concrete floors and buildings above it. The liquefied soil comes to the surface through cracks, which it widens.
FIGURE4 Cars swallowed by liquefied soil on a road in Christchurch, New Zealand, 2011
Source: © Photography by Mark Lincoln
392 Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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