<P> The 1960 Valdivia earthquake ( Spanish : Terremoto de Valdivia ) or Great Chilean earthquake ( Gran terremoto de Chile ) of 22 May is the most powerful earthquake ever recorded . Various studies have placed it at 9.4 -- 9.6 on the moment magnitude scale . It occurred in the afternoon ( 19 : 11 GMT , 15 : 11 local time ) , and lasted approximately 10 minutes . The resulting tsunami affected southern Chile , Hawaii , Japan , the Philippines , eastern New Zealand , southeast Australia and the Aleutian Islands . </P>
<P> The 1960 Valdivia earthquake ( Spanish : Terremoto de Valdivia ) or Great Chilean earthquake ( Gran terremoto de Chile ) of 22 May is the most powerful earthquake ever recorded . Various studies have placed it at 9.4 -- 9.6 on the moment magnitude scale . It occurred in the afternoon ( 19 : 11 GMT , 15 : 11 local time ) , and lasted approximately 10 minutes . The resulting tsunami affected southern Chile , Hawaii , Japan , the Philippines , eastern New Zealand , southeast Australia and the Aleutian Islands . </P>
what is the biggest recorded earthquake in history
what is the biggest recorded earthquake in history
The 1960 Valdivia earthquake
The 1960 Valdivia earthquake