When: May 22, 1960

The Valdivia earthquake, also known as the Great Chilean Earthquake, was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in history. It had a magnitude of 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale and was centered near Lumaco, Chile, about 550 kilometers (340 miles) south of the capital, Santiago. The earthquake triggered a tsunami that caused severe damage along the Pacific coasts of Chile, Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines, and even as far away as New Zealand. The death toll from the earthquake and tsunami is estimated to be around 2,000 people.