Evidence of the largest earthquake in human history

April 28, 2022 13:38 GMT+7

Researchers have found evidence of the largest earthquake ever recorded and recorded in human history. It was a devastating 9.5-magnitude earthquake that caused a tsunami that stretched over 8,000 kilometers, forcing people to abandon nearby shores for 1,000 years.

Evidence of the largest earthquake in human history

The earthquake occurred about 3,800 years ago in what is now northern Chile when a faulted tectonic plate lifted the region’s coastline. A strong earthquake occurs when one of the Earth’s tectonic plates sinks below another.

The researchers found that the tsunami produced waves more than 20 meters high and extended as far as New Zealand. Cars-sized rocks were also brought inland hundreds of kilometers.

In 1960, there was an earthquake on Earth in Valdivia, which struck southern Chile with a magnitude of 9.4, killing 6,000 people and creating a tsunami that swept across the Pacific Ocean.

The rupture caused the very large Valdivia earthquake, extending up to 800 km. However, the ancient superquake came from a much longer fault about 1,000 km.

James Goff, a geologist at the University of Southampton, UK, who co-authored the study, thought that an event of this magnitude was unlikely because it was unlikely that a rift would last long enough.

Evidence for giant earthquakes occurs in marine and coastal objects such as coastal sediments, boulders, boulders and sand originating from coastal regions, shells and biomes, the researchers say. sea ​​animals. The evidence has even moved inland in the Atacama Desert, Chile.

“We found evidence of marine sediments and a lot of individuals lived in the water before being brought to the land,” said James Goff.

After dating 17 sites in 7 separate excavation sites spanning 600 km of northern Chile’s coast. The researchers found that the dating of coastal material was washed inland about 3,800 years ago. To better understand when the incident happened, the researchers used radiocarbon dating.

The results of the study even showed that a great social upheaval followed after communities moved inland.

According to James Goff, the new discovery provides information about the potential dangers of large earthquakes in the future.

Although the earthquake affected people in Chile, the South Pacific islands were uninhabited when the tsunami struck 3,800 years ago. However, all are now densely populated and many areas are popular tourist attractions.

Hoang Dung (synopsis)