1960 Valdivia Earthquake

The 1960 Valdivia Earthquake, also known as the Great Chilean Earthquake, occurred on May 22, 1960, near Valdivia, Chile. It was the strongest earthquake ever recorded, with a magnitude of 9.5. The quake was caused by tectonic plates shifting along the boundary between the South American Plate and the Nazca Plate. This massive movement triggered violent shaking that lasted about 10 minutes, causing widespread destruction, landslides, and a tsunami that affected distant coastlines across the Pacific. It resulted in approximately 2,000 fatalities and significant damage to infrastructure, highlighting the region's vulnerability to large-scale seismic activity.