They demonstrated the terrifying power of these natural phenomena. Almost 16,000 people died and more than a million buildings were completely or partially destroyed. A year after these events, 330,000 people are still living in hotels or other temporary housing, unable to return home. Another 3,000 people are still missing. Giant tsunami waves generated by the earthquake flooded the power and cooling systems of three reactors at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
Earthquakes cannot be stopped, but we know how they work. Scientists have developed networks of sensors to monitor the movement of the earth, changes in groundwater and magnetic fields that may indicate an impending earthquake. Engineers, meanwhile, have developed new forms of architecture to withstand earthquakes. So, without further ado, let's find out the most Interesting Facts about earthquakes.
1. The record depth at which the earthquake epicenter was recorded.
750 kilometers.
2. How many earthquakes occur per year?
3. Do earthquakes occur more often in warm weather?
4. What is the earth's crust made of?
The Earth's crust is broken into moving pieces called plates. These plates float on dense rocks of the mantle - sticky layer, lying between the planet's core and the earth's crust. The most common rock in the crust that forms the Earth's continents is granite. This continental crust averages 35 km thick and is deepest beneath mountain ranges. The oceanic crust is thinner - six kilometers on average - and is mostly made of dense volcanic rocks such as basalt. Interestingly, granite consists of 75% oxygen and silicon. Basalt is denser because the silicon is contaminated with heavy elements such as iron.
5. How thick is the earth's crust?
from 5 to 70 kilometers.
6. Did the earthquake in Japan in 2011 really make the days shorter?
Yes, but you'll hardly notice it. Every day is now 1.8 microseconds shorter, according to NASA. The fact is that the Japanese earthquake accelerated the rotation of the Earth, changing its rotation around an imaginary line called an axis. The Earth's mass is balanced around its axis, and it wobbles as it rotates. This fluctuation is up to one meter per year due to the movement of glaciers and ocean currents. In 2011, an earthquake moved the ocean floor near Japan as much as 16 meters vertically and 50 meters horizontally—equivalent to the horizontal distance of an Olympic swimming pool! Shifts of the ocean floor increased the Earth's oscillations around its axis by 17 centimeters. And as the vibrations increased, the Earth accelerated its rotation. This principle will be better understood if we remember that a skater pulls his arms closer to his body in order to spin faster.
7. What is the shadow side of an earthquake?
The shadow zone is where seismographs cannot detect an earthquake after its seismic waves have passed through the Earth. The shadow zone is located on the Earth's surface at an angle of 104-140 degrees from the origin of the earthquake, and is not crossed by S-waves or direct P-waves. The shadow zone forms because S-waves cannot pass through the Earth's liquid outer core, while P-waves are refracted by the liquid core.
8. Where do earthquakes most often occur?
About 90 percent of earthquakes occur on the so-called Ring of Fire, a belt of seismic activity surrounding the Pacific Plate. The Ring of Fire is a massive subduction zone where the Pacific Plate collides with and sinks beneath other crustal plates. Most earthquakes have been observed in Japan, which lies on the Ring of Fire at the junction of the Pacific, Philippine, Eurasian and Okhotsk plates. Japan has a good earthquake monitoring network, and scientists can detect even small earthquakes. Indonesia's volcanic island chain probably experiences the highest number of earthquakes on land, but has fewer instruments to measure them.
9. Is it true that earthquakes occur more often in the morning?
10. What are tremors?
Tremors are another name for earthquakes. It also represents the vibration you experience during an earthquake.
11. How do scientists record the size of an earthquake?
Scientists use a seismograph to record earthquake waves called P and S waves. P waves travel faster than S waves and can travel through liquids. By measuring the delay between the P and S waves, scientists can calculate the distance the waves have traveled.
12. When was the earliest record of a major earthquake in history?
The first earthquake was described in China in 1177 BC. By the 17th century, accounts of the effects of earthquakes were published around the world.
13. What do the lines on a seismograph mean?
The wavy lines on the seismogram represent the recorded waves. The first large wavy line is P-waves, the second line is S-waves. If the latter is missing, the earthquake occurred on the other side of the planet.
14. Why do earthquakes cause tsunamis?
When two plates come into contact underwater, they exert pressure on each other, thereby creating pressure. There comes a time when one slab cannot stand it and slides off. As a result, the accumulated energy is released and an underwater earthquake occurs. A column of water is pushed upward, resulting in a tsunami on the surface of the ocean. Tsunamis are giant waves that can cross oceans at enormous speeds of up to 700 kilometers per hour and reach heights of 20 meters.
15. How do P and S waves move?
P waves (primary waves) are the fastest waves produced by an earthquake. They can pass through solid and molten rocks. P waves move in a spiral that resembles a Slinky spring toy.
S-waves (secondary waves) are 1.7 times slower than P-waves and can only travel through hard rock. However, they cause more damage because they are larger and shake the ground vertically and horizontally.
16. How long do earthquakes last?
10-30 seconds.
17. Do earthquakes occur only on Earth?
There is evidence of "marsquakes" on Mars, as well as "Venusquakes" on Venus. Signs of earthquakes have also been observed on several of Jupiter's moons, as well as on one of Saturn's moons. In addition, tidal “moonquakes” have been discovered on the Moon, which are caused by the influence of Earth’s gravity. The moon also vibrates from meteorite impacts and tremors caused by the heating of the lunar surface after a two-week lunar night.
18. Can animals predict earthquakes?
It is not known for certain whether animals can predict earthquakes, but there are many stories about their strange behavior. One such story claims that hibernating snakes left their burrows a month before the earthquake that struck China in 1975.
Recently I helped my son with a short report on this topic. Despite the fact that I know enough about this phenomenon, the information I discovered turned out to be extremely interesting. I will try to accurately convey the essence of the topic and talk about How are earthquakes classified?. By the way, my son proudly brought an A from school. :)
Where do earthquakes occur?
First you need to understand what is commonly called an earthquake. So, scientifically speaking, these are strong vibrations on the surface of our planet, caused by processes that occur in the lithosphere. Areas where they are located high mountains- places where this phenomenon is observed most often. The thing is that the surfaces in these areas are at the stage of formation, and the cortex is most mobile. Such areas are called places rapidly changing terrain, however, many earthquakes were also observed on the plains.
What types of earthquakes are there?
Science identifies several types of this phenomenon:
- tectonic;
- landslide;
- volcanic.
Tectonic earthquake- a consequence of the displacement of mountain plates, which is caused by the collision of two platforms: continental and oceanic. This species is characterized by formation of mountains or depressions, as well as surface vibrations.
Regarding earthquakes volcanic type, then they are caused by the pressure of gases and magma on the surface from below. Usually the shocks are not very strong, however can last quite a long time. Typically, this species is a harbinger of a more destructive and dangerous phenomenon - volcano eruptionA.
Landslide earthquake occurs as a result of the formation of voids that can be formed by the movement of groundwater. In this case the surface just collapses, which is accompanied by small tremors.
Intensity measurement
According to Richter scale it is possible to classify an earthquake based on the energy it carries seismic waves. It was proposed in 1937 and over time became widespread throughout the world. So:
- not felt- shocks are absolutely not detected;
- very weak- is registered only by devices, a person does not feel it;
- weak- can be felt while in the building;
- intense- accompanied by slight displacement of objects;
- almost strong- felt in open spaces by sensitive people;
- strong- felt by all people;
- very strong- V brickwork small cracks appear;
- destructive- serious damage to buildings;
- devastating- huge destruction;
- destructive- gaps up to 1 meter are formed in the ground;
- catastrophic- buildings are destroyed to the foundation. Cracks more than 2 meters;
- catastrophe- the entire surface is cut with cracks, the rivers change their channels.
According to seismologists - scientists who study this phenomenon, about 400 thousand happen per year earthquakes of varying strengths.
An earthquake is a natural phenomenon with destructive power; it is an unpredictable natural disaster that occurs suddenly and unexpectedly. An earthquake is an underground tremors caused by tectonic processes occurring inside the earth; these are vibrations of the earth's surface that arise as a result of sudden ruptures and displacements of sections of the earth's crust. Earthquakes occur anywhere on the globe, at any time of the year; it is virtually impossible to determine where and when, and what strength an earthquake will be.
They not only destroy our homes and change the natural landscape, but also raze cities and destroy entire civilizations; they bring fear, grief and death to people.
How is the strength of an earthquake measured?
The intensity of tremors is measured by points. Earthquakes with a magnitude of 1-2 are detected only by special devices - seismographs.
With an earthquake strength of 3-4 points, vibrations are already detected not only by seismographs, but also by people - objects around us sway, chandeliers, flower pots, dishes clink, cabinet doors open, trees and buildings sway, and the person himself sways.
At 5 points it shakes even more, they stop Wall Clock, cracks appear on buildings, plaster crumbles.
At 6-7 points the vibrations are strong, objects fall, paintings hanging on the walls fall on window panes and on the walls stone houses cracks appear.
Earthquakes of magnitude 8-9 lead to the collapse of walls and destruction of buildings and bridges, even stone houses are destroyed and cracks form on the surface of the earth.
A magnitude 10 earthquake is more destructive - buildings collapse, pipelines and railway tracks break, landslides and collapses occur.
But the most catastrophic in terms of the force of destruction are earthquakes of 11-12 points.
In a matter of seconds, the natural landscape changes, mountains are destroyed, cities turn into ruins, huge holes form in the ground, lakes disappear, and new islands may appear in the sea. But the most terrible and irreparable thing during such earthquakes is that people die. 
There is also another more accurate objective way of assessing the strength of an earthquake - by the magnitude of the vibrations caused by the earthquake. This quantity is called magnitude and determines the strength, that is, the energy of the earthquake, the most high value magnitude-9.
The source and epicenter of the earthquake
The force of destruction also depends on the depth of the earthquake source; the deeper the earthquake source occurs from the surface of the earth, the less destructive force the seismic waves carry.
The source occurs at the site of displacement of giant rock masses and can be located at any depth from eight to eight hundred kilometers. It doesn’t matter at all whether the displacement is large or not, vibrations of the earth’s surface still occur and how far these vibrations will spread depends on their energy and strength.
The greater depth of the earthquake source reduces destruction on the earth's surface. The destructiveness of an earthquake also depends on the size of the source. If the vibrations of the earth's crust are strong and sharp, then catastrophic destruction occurs on the surface of the Earth.
The epicenter of an earthquake should be considered the point above the source, located on the surface of the earth. Seismic or shock waves diverge from the source in all directions; the further away from the source, the less intense the earthquake. The speed of shock waves can reach eight kilometers per second.
Where do earthquakes most often occur?
Which corners of our planet are more earthquake-prone?
There are two zones where earthquakes occur most often. One belt begins at the Sunda Islands and ends at the Isthmus of Panama. This is the Mediterranean belt - it stretches from east to west, passes through mountains such as the Himalayas, Tibet, Altai, Pamir, Caucasus, Balkans, Apennines, Pyrenees and passes through the Atlantic.
The second belt is called the Pacific. This is Japan, the Philippines, and also covers Hawaiian and Kurile Islands, Kamchatka, Alaska, Iceland. Runs along the western shores of the Northern and South America, through the mountains of California, Peru, Chile, Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica.
There are also seismically active zones on the territory of our country. This North Caucasus, Altai and Sayan Mountains, Kuril Islands and Kamchatka, Chukotka and the Koryak Highlands, Sakhalin, Primorye and Amur Region, Baikal zone.
Earthquakes also often occur in our neighbors - in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia and other countries. And in other areas that are distinguished by seismic stability, tremors periodically occur.
The seismic instability of these belts is associated with tectonic processes in the earth's crust. Those territories where there are active smoking volcanoes, where there are mountain ranges and the formation of mountains continues, the foci of earthquakes are most often located there and tremors often occur in those places. 
Why do earthquakes happen?
Earthquakes are a consequence of tectonic movement occurring in the depths of our Earth, there are many reasons why these movements occur - this is external influence space, the Sun, solar flares and magnetic storms.
These are the so-called earth waves that periodically arise on the surface of our earth. These waves are clearly visible on the sea surface - sea ebbs and flows. They are not noticeable on the earth's surface, but are recorded by instruments. Ground waves cause deformation of the earth's surface.
Some scientists have suggested that the Moon may be the culprit of earthquakes, or rather, the vibrations occurring on the lunar surface, they also affect earth's surface. It was observed that strong destructive earthquakes coincided with the full moon.
Scientists also note those natural phenomena that precede earthquakes - these are heavy, prolonged precipitation, big differences atmospheric pressure, unusual air glow, restless behavior of animals, as well as an increase in gases - argon, radon and helium and uranium and fluorine compounds in groundwater.
Our planet continues its geological development, the growth and formation of young mountain ranges occurs, in connection with human activity, new cities appear, forests are destroyed, swamps are drained, new reservoirs appear, and the changes that occur in the depths of our Earth and on its surface cause all sorts of natural disasters.
Human activities also have a negative impact on the mobility of the earth's crust. A person who imagines himself to be a tamer and creator of nature thoughtlessly interferes with the natural landscape - demolishes mountains, erects dams and hydroelectric power stations on rivers, builds new reservoirs and cities.
Yes, and mining - oil, gas, coal, building materials- crushed stone, sand - affects seismic activity. And in those areas where there is a high probability of earthquakes, seismic activity increases even more. with their own ill-considered actions humans provoke landslides, landslides and earthquakes. Earthquakes that occur due to human activity are called man-made.
Another type of earthquake occurs with human participation. During underground nuclear explosions, when testing tectonic weapons, or during an explosion large quantity explosives, vibrations of the earth's crust also occur. The intensity of such tremors is not very great, but they can provoke an earthquake. Such earthquakes are called artificial.
There are still some volcanic earthquakes and landslide. Volcanic earthquakes occur due to high tension in the depths of the volcano; the cause of these earthquakes is volcanic gas and lava. The duration of such earthquakes is from several weeks to several months, they are weak and do not pose a danger to people.
Landslide earthquakes are caused by large landslides and landslides.
On our Earth, earthquakes occur every day; about one hundred thousand earthquakes a year are recorded by instruments. This incomplete list of catastrophic earthquakes that occurred on our planet clearly shows the losses humanity suffers from earthquakes.
Catastrophic earthquakes that have occurred in recent years
1923 - Japan epicenter near Tokyo, about 150 thousand people died.
1948 - Turkmenistan, Ashgabat is completely destroyed, about one hundred thousand dead.
1970 in Peru, a landslide caused by an earthquake killed 66 thousand residents of the city of Yungay.
1976 - China, the city of Tianshan is destroyed, 250 thousand dead. 
1988 - Armenia, the city of Spitak was destroyed - 25 thousand people died.
1990 - Iran, Gilan province, 40 thousand dead.
1995 - Sakhalin Island, 2 thousand people died.
1999 - Türkiye, the cities of Istanbul and Izmir - 17 thousand dead.
1999 - Taiwan, 2.5 thousand people died.
2001 - India, Gujarat - 20 thousand dead.
2003 - Iran, the city of Bam is destroyed, about 30 thousand people died.
2004 - the island of Sumatra - the earthquake and tsunami caused by the earthquake killed 228 thousand people.
2005 - Pakistan, Kashmir region - 76 thousand people died.
2006 - Java island - 5700 people died.
2008 - China, Sichuan province, 87 thousand people died.
2010 - Haiti, -220 thousand people died.
2011 - Japan - earthquake and tsunami, killed more than 28 thousand people, explosions on nuclear power plant Fukushima led to an environmental disaster.
Powerful tremors destroy the infrastructure of cities, buildings, depriving us of housing, causing enormous damage to the residents of those countries where the disaster occurred, but the most terrible and irreparable thing is the death of millions of people. History preserves the memory of destroyed cities, disappeared civilizations, and no matter how terrible the force of the elements, a person, having survived the tragedy, restores his home, builds new cities, erects new gardens and revives the fields on which he grows his own food.
How to behave during an earthquake
At the first tremors of an earthquake, a person experiences fear and confusion, because everything around begins to move, chandeliers sway, dishes clink, cabinet doors open, and sometimes objects fall, the earth disappears from under one’s feet. Many panic and begin to rush around, while others, on the contrary, hesitate and freeze in place.
If you are on the 1st or 2nd floors, the first thing you should do is try to leave the premises as quickly as possible and move to a safe distance from buildings, try to find open place, pay attention to power lines, you should not be under them; strong shocks may cause the wires to break and you may receive an electric shock.
If you are above the 2nd floor or did not have time to jump out into the street, try to leave corner rooms. It’s better to hide under the table or under the bed, stand in the opening internal doors, in the corner of the room, but away from cabinets and windows, since broken glass and objects in cabinets, and the cabinets themselves, refrigerators, if they fall, can touch you and injure you. 
If you still decide to leave the apartment, then be careful, do not enter the elevator; during strong earthquakes, the elevator may turn off or collapse; it is also not recommended to run to the stairs. Flights of stairs may be damaged due to an earthquake, and a crowd of people rushing to the stairs will increase the load on them and the stairs may collapse. Going out onto balconies is just as dangerous; they can also collapse. You should not jump out of windows.
If tremors find you outside, move to an open space, away from buildings, power lines, and trees.
If you are in a car, stop at the side of the road, away from lamps, trees, and billboards. Don't stop in tunnels, under wires and bridges.
If you live in a seismically active area and earthquakes periodically shake your homes, then you should prepare yourself and your family for the possibility of a stronger earthquake. Determine in advance the safest areas in your apartment, take measures to strengthen your home, teach your children how to behave if children are alone at home during earthquakes.
The strongest earthquakes throughout human history have caused colossal material damage and caused a huge number of casualties among the population. The first mention of tremors dates back to 2000 BC.
And despite the achievements modern science and the development of technology, no one can still predict exact time, when the elements strike, so quick and timely evacuation of people often becomes impossible.
Earthquakes are natural disasters that kill the most people, much more than, for example, hurricanes or typhoons.
In this rating we will talk about the 12 most powerful and destructive earthquakes in human history.
12. Lisbon
On November 1, 1755, a powerful earthquake occurred in the capital of Portugal, the city of Lisbon, later called the Great Lisbon Earthquake. A terrible coincidence was that on November 1 - All Saints' Day, thousands of residents gathered for mass in the churches of Lisbon. These churches, like other buildings throughout the city, could not withstand the powerful shocks and collapsed, burying thousands of unfortunates under their rubble.
Then a 6-meter tsunami wave rushed into the city, covering the surviving people rushing in panic through the streets of destroyed Lisbon. The destruction and loss of life were colossal! As a result of the earthquake, which lasted no more than 6 minutes, the tsunami it caused and numerous fires that engulfed the city, at least 80,000 residents of the Portuguese capital died.
Many famous figures and philosophers touched on this deadly earthquake in their works, for example, Immanuel Kant, who tried to find a scientific explanation for such a large-scale tragedy.
11. San Francisco
On April 18, 1906, at 5:12 am, powerful tremors shook sleeping San Francisco. The force of the tremors was 7.9 points and as a result of the strongest earthquake in the city, 80% of the buildings were destroyed.
After the first count of the dead, authorities reported 400 victims, but later their number increased to 3,000 people. However, the main damage to the city was caused not by the earthquake itself, but by the monstrous fire it caused. As a result, more than 28,000 buildings throughout San Francisco were destroyed, with property damage amounting to more than $400 million at the exchange rate of that time.
Many residents themselves set fire to their dilapidated houses, which were insured against fire, but not against earthquakes.
10. Messina
The largest earthquake in Europe was the earthquake in Sicily and Southern Italy, when on December 28, 1908, as a result of powerful tremors measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale, according to various experts, from 120 to 200,000 people died.
The epicenter of the disaster was the Strait of Messina, located between the Apennine Peninsula and Sicily; the city of Messina suffered the most, where practically not a single surviving building remained. brought a lot of destruction and huge wave tsunami caused by tremors and amplified by an underwater landslide.
Documented fact: rescuers were able to pull two exhausted, dehydrated, but alive children from the rubble, 18 days after the disaster struck! The numerous and extensive destructions were caused primarily by the poor quality of buildings in Messina and other parts of Sicily.
Russian sailors provided invaluable assistance to the residents of Messina imperial fleet. Ships included study group sailed in the Mediterranean Sea and on the day of the tragedy ended up in the port of Augusta in Sicily. Immediately after the tremors, sailors organized a rescue operation and thanks to their brave actions, thousands of residents were saved.
9. Haiyuan
One of the deadliest earthquakes in human history was the devastating earthquake that struck Haiyuan County, part of Gansu Province, on December 16, 1920.
Historians estimate that at least 230,000 people died that day. The force of the tremors was such that entire villages disappeared in the faults of the earth’s crust, such big cities like Xi'an, Taiyuan and Lanzhou. Incredible, but strong waves, formed after the impact of the elements were recorded even in Norway.
Modern researchers believe that the death toll was much higher and totaled at least 270,000 people. At that time, this was 59% of the population of Haiyuan County. Several tens of thousands of people died from the cold after their homes were destroyed by the elements.
8. Chile
The earthquake in Chile on May 22, 1960, considered the strongest earthquake in the history of seismology, measured 9.5 on the Richter scale. The earthquake was so powerful that it caused tsunami waves more than 10 meters high, which covered not only the coast of Chile, but also caused enormous damage to the city of Hilo in Hawaii, and some of the waves reached the coasts of Japan and the Philippines.
More than 6,000 people died, most of whom were hit by the tsunami, and the destruction was unimaginable. 2 million people were left homeless and the damage amounted to more than $500 million. In some areas of Chile, the impact of the tsunami wave was so strong that many houses were carried away 3 km inland.
7. Alaska
On March 27, 1964, the most strong earthquake in American history. The magnitude of the earthquake was 9.2 on the Richter scale and this earthquake was the strongest since the disaster struck Chile in 1960.
129 people died, of which 6 were victims of tremors, the rest were washed away by a huge tsunami wave. The disaster caused the greatest destruction in Anchorage, and tremors were recorded in 47 US states.
6. Kobe
The Kobe earthquake in Japan on January 16, 1995 was one of the most destructive in history. Tremors with a magnitude of 7.3 began at 05:46 am local time and continued for several days. As a result, more than 6,000 people died and 26,000 were injured.
The damage caused to the city's infrastructure was simply enormous. More than 200,000 buildings were destroyed, 120 of the 150 berths in the port of Kobe were destroyed, and there was no power supply for several days. The total damage from the disaster was about $200 billion, which at that time was 2.5% of Japan's total GDP.
Not only government services rushed to help the affected residents, but also the Japanese mafia - the Yakuza, whose members delivered water and food to those affected by the disaster.
5. Sumatra
On December 26, 2004, a powerful tsunami that hit the shores of Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and other countries was caused by a devastating earthquake measuring 9.1 on the Richter scale. The epicenter of the tremors was in the Indian Ocean, near the island of Simeulue, off the northwestern coast of Sumatra. The earthquake was unusually large; the earth's crust shifted at a distance of 1200 km.
The height of the tsunami waves reached 15-30 meters and, according to various estimates, from 230 to 300,000 people became victims of the disaster, although exact amount it is impossible to count the dead. Many people were simply washed into the ocean.
One of the reasons for such a number of victims was the lack of a system early warning in the Indian Ocean, with which it was possible to inform the local population about the approaching tsunami.
4. Kashmir
On October 8, 2005, the worst earthquake to hit South Asia in a century occurred in the Pakistani-controlled region of Kashmir. The strength of the tremors was 7.6 on the Richter scale, which is comparable to the San Francisco earthquake in 1906.
As a result of the disaster, according to official data, 84,000 people died, according to unofficial data, more than 200,000. Rescue efforts have been hampered by military conflict between Pakistan and India in the region. Many villages were completely wiped off the face of the earth, and the city of Balakot in Pakistan was completely destroyed. In India, 1,300 people became victims of the earthquake.
3. Haiti
On January 12, 2010, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale occurred in Haiti. Basic the blow fell to the capital of the state - the city of Port-au-Prince. The consequences were terrible: almost 3 million people were left homeless, all hospitals and thousands of residential buildings were destroyed. The number of victims was simply enormous, according to various estimates from 160 to 230,000 people.
Criminals who had escaped from a prison destroyed by the elements poured into the city; cases of looting, robberies and robberies became frequent on the streets. Material damage from the earthquake is estimated at 5.6 billion dollars.
Despite the fact that many countries - Russia, France, Spain, Ukraine, the USA, Canada and dozens of others - provided all possible assistance in eliminating the consequences of the disaster in Haiti, more than five years after the earthquake, more than 80,000 people still live in improvised camps for refugees.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and this natural disaster has dealt an irreparable blow to the economy and living standards of its citizens.
2. Earthquake in Japan
On March 11, 2011, the strongest earthquake in Japanese history occurred in the Tohoku region. The epicenter was located east of the island of Honshu and the strength of the tremors was 9.1 on the Richter scale.
As a result of the disaster, the nuclear power plant in the city of Fukushima was severely damaged and power units at reactors 1, 2, and 3 were destroyed. Many areas became uninhabitable as a result of radioactive radiation.
After underwater tremors, a huge tsunami wave covered the coast and destroyed thousands of administrative and residential buildings. More than 16,000 people died, 2,500 are still considered missing.
The material damage was also colossal - more than $100 billion. And considering that on full recovery It may take years for the infrastructure to be destroyed, and the amount of damage may increase several times.
1. Spitak and Leninakan
There are many tragic dates in the history of the USSR, and one of the most famous is the earthquake that shook the Armenian SSR on December 7, 1988. Powerful tremors in just half a minute almost completely destroyed the northern part of the republic, capturing the territory where more than 1 million inhabitants lived.
The consequences of the disaster were monstrous: the city of Spitak was almost completely wiped off the face of the Earth, Leninakan was severely damaged, more than 300 villages were destroyed and 40% were destroyed. industrial capacities republics. More than 500 thousand Armenians were left homeless, according to various estimates, from 25,000 to 170,000 residents died, 17,000 citizens remained disabled.
111 states and all republics of the USSR provided assistance in the restoration of destroyed Armenia.
A series of tremors in 30 seconds practically destroyed the city of Spitak and caused severe destruction to the cities of Leninakan (now Gyumri), Kirovakan (now Vanadzor) and Stepanavan. In total, 21 cities were affected by the disaster, as well as 350 villages (of which 58 were completely destroyed).
In the epicenter of the earthquake - the city of Spitak - its strength reached 10 points (on a 12-point scale), in Leninakan - 9 points, Kirovakan - 8 points.
The 6-magnitude earthquake zone covered a significant part of the territory of the republic; tremors were felt in Yerevan and Tbilisi.
The catastrophic consequences of the Spitak earthquake were due to a number of reasons: underestimation of the seismic hazard of the region, imperfect regulatory documents on earthquake-resistant construction, insufficient preparedness of rescue services, slowness of medical care, as well as low quality of construction.
The commission to eliminate the consequences of the tragedy was headed by the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR Nikolai Ryzhkov.
In the first hours after the disaster, units of the USSR Armed Forces, as well as the Border Troops of the KGB of the USSR, came to the aid of the victims. On the same day, a team of 98 highly qualified doctors and military field surgeons, led by USSR Minister of Health Yevgeny Chazov, flew from Moscow to Armenia on the same day.
On December 10, 1988, interrupting his official visit to the USA, he flew to Leninakan with his wife Secretary General Central Committee of the CPSU, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev. He got acquainted with the progress of the unfolding rescue and restoration work. At a meeting with the heads of Union ministries and departments, priority tasks for providing necessary assistance Armenia.
In just a few days, 50 thousand tents and 200 field kitchens were deployed in the republic.
Total in rescue work In addition to volunteers, over 20 thousand soldiers and officers took part, more than three thousand units were used to clear the rubble military equipment. The collection of humanitarian aid was actively carried out throughout the country.
The tragedy of Armenia shocked the whole world. Doctors and rescuers from France, Switzerland, Great Britain, Germany, and the USA arrived in the affected republic. At the airports of Yerevan and Leninakan, planes landed with a load of medicines, donor blood, medical equipment, clothing and food from Italy, Japan, China and other countries. Humanitarian assistance was provided by 111 states from all continents.
All material, financial and labor capabilities of the USSR were mobilized for restoration work. 45 thousand builders from all Union republics arrived. After the collapse of the USSR, the restoration program was suspended.
The tragic events gave impetus to the creation in Armenia and other republics of the USSR of a qualified and extensive system for preventing and eliminating the consequences of various emergency situations. In 1989 it was formed State Commission The USSR Council of Ministers for Emergency Situations, and after 1991 - the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations.
In memory of the Spitak earthquake on December 7, 1989, the USSR issued a commemorative coin of 3 rubles, dedicated to the people's assistance to Armenia in connection with the earthquake.
On December 7, 2008, a monument dedicated to the tragic events of 1988 was unveiled in the center of Gyumri. Cast using collected public funds, it is called “For Innocent Victims, Merciful Hearts.”
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources