15 Biggest Earthquake Cracks

we're gonna uncover the top 15 biggest earthquake cracks in the world from staggering fissures that stretch across vast areas to awe-inspiring chasms carved by powerful Quakes these cracks reveal the immense power of the earth's tectonic forces here are the top 15 biggest earthquake cracks in the world number 15 the East African Rift the world's land masses are constantly moving but at such a slow speed that we're barely able to notice the changes within our lifetimes millions of years ago the continents were part of one large piece and millions of years in the future things will probably look very different from how they do now and there's a place where you can actually see this in action the East Africa Rift is an active Rift Zone on the African plate where it's splitting apart into two others the Somali plate and the Nubian plate and began developing around 22 to 25 million years ago it's been known about for a long time with researchers having found evidence of its separation far beneath the earth's surface but in 20 2018 the first signs began appearing at ground level a series of earthquakes happened in April of that year and soon after residents in a region of Kenya began to notice huge cracks that had formed in the ground rather than being in an opening through the crust these are believed to have been caused by material that fell into deep cavities because of the earthquakes but because they've happened along the fault line they are in effect beginning to Mark the boundary of where the tectonic plates will eventually split it'll still be millions of years until the sides have completely separated and an ocean begins to form between them but it's fascinating seeing the start of such an impactful geological process number 14. tepehan turkey in February of 2023 a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck a region across the border between turkey and Syria it was the most powerful in the region for more than 80 years and caused Untold death and destruction throughout it's thought as many as 51 000 people from 49 different nationalities were killed 345 000 Apartments were destroyed and almost 16 million people were affected with 2.5 million of those being made homeless by the event the focus was quite rightfully on the humanitarian disaster that developed afterwards with thousands of people needing to be rescued and work needing to be done to begin the long process of recovering but far away from the densely populated cities that felt the major brunt of the Quake locals were beginning to notice another unexpected consequence in the country's Southern heite province which is a place that's known for its extensive Olive Groves a huge crack formed through one Farm which was as wide as a football field and as deep as a 13-story building measuring 984 feet or 300 meters long 165 feet or 50 meters wide and 130 feet or 40 meters deep it had split the Olive Grove into two and made it impossible to cross from one side to the other without traveling all the way around it it's an incredible example of just how powerful an earthquake can be and that at any moment a force like this can be released that'll change the landscape and people's lives forever number 13. Ridgecrest California it is probably the most famous fault line in the world and depending on who you listen to the San Andreas fault is long overdue for an extremely powerful earthquake that has the potential to cost trillions of dollars worth of damage across California It's Not The Only Fault Line in the state though and in recent years the earthquakes that have happened aren't linked to the San Andreas fault at all in July of 2019 for example two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.1 and 6.4 struck around 11 miles or 18 kilometers from Ridgecrest and were the strongest in the state for more than 20 years with hundreds of aftershocks too offices in Central LA were shaking for 30 seconds and Tremors were felt in Mexico but the biggest effects could be seen around Ridgecrest itself there gas lines were ruptured and a number of fires broke out but the most surprising effect was a huge crack that was formed across the stretch of the Mojave Desert the U.S Geological Survey quickly released a statement to lay any fears and confirmed that the crack hadn't formed across a new fault nor was it linked to the San Andreas fault line but locals were obviously concerned that a crevice like this had opened up and in Parts had put cracks through a nearby Highway luckily no one died during this set of earthquakes and the repair bill was relatively low but as a taste of what's to come should the San Andreas fault become active in our lifetimes it should act as a sobering warning of just how powerful these earthquakes can be number 12. Lake Tanganyika located within four countries Tanzania the Democratic Republic of kondo Burundi and Zambia Lake Tanganyika is the second largest and second oldest freshwater lake in the world it's 420 miles or 670 kilometers long and an average of 31 miles or 50 kilometers wide and in total contains an estimated 4 500 cubic miles of water First beginning to form around 12 million years ago this isn't a typical Lake that was created by erosion a glacier or a river and is instead part of the albertine rift which is the Western Branch of the East Africa Rift with mountains around the valley it's essentially a deep crack in the ground that was formed by tectonic activity and every time there's an earthquake in the region it progressively becomes deeper and deeper While most chasms caused by earthquakes can be dangerous for people and Wildlife living in the surrounding area this is the perfect example of one that's actually been crucial for supporting life the lake is home to countless different fish reptiles and other species and throughout its history it's been a vital source of water to human communities living around its perimeter over time the water flows associated with the lake have changed but today it feeds into the Congo River system which itself provides much needed water to huge areas across Africa meaning earthquakes aren't always destructive forces and their effects can support huge ecosystems number 11. palu city Indonesia the city of palu in Indonesia is the capital of central suloesi it's a relatively new city having originally been a farming community and it's located in the Bay of palu meaning much of the ground beneath the surface is waterlogged it's also on the palukuro fault system and the combination of these geological features have led to the government deciding that the entire city needs to be relocated because of the extreme risk to life this all became apparent in 2018 when a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck around 43 miles or 70 kilometers away from the city and resulted in the loss of over 4 300 lives it also created a tsunami that caused extensive damage across coastal regions but the earthquake itself is what caused a series of unexpected events because of the water levels in the ground palu was subjected to what's been described as the largest natural soil liquefaction phenomenon in the world where the seemingly Solid Ground became soft and cracks began to form in an instant buildings were destroyed in large areas of land were left uninhabitable with much of this being the result of building such heavy structures in an unstable region at first scientists looked at ways to prevent this from happening again but the general consensus is that there will be a risk every time an earthquake strikes so instead future Construction in and around palu has been suspended an investment has been put into a new site further along the coast where this liquefaction isn't anywhere near as likely to happen number 10 the Japan Trench the Japan trench is a geologically significant feature that's located in the Pacific Ocean off the eastern coast of Japan stretching approximately 500 miles or 800 kilometers in length it's part of one of the most notorious subduction zones on Earth which is where one tectonic plate is thrust beneath another here there's intense seismic activity and the potential for catastrophic earthquakes and tsunamis the Japan trench itself is where the Pacific Plate is moving beneath the North American Plate and the Philippine Sea plate and the collision between these plates and subsequent earthquakes have created the Deep trench that reaches depths of over 26 000 feet over 8 000 meters making it one of the deepest Oceanic trenches in the world the importance of the Japan trench is not only due to its depth and seismic activity within it but also in its role in shaping the landscape and Hazards faced by the region the subduction process leads to a release of immense amounts of energy which can trigger powerful Mega thrust earthquakes and this was what was responsible for one of the most devastating and recorded history the Great East Japan earthquake that struck on March 11 2011 and generated a massive tsunami that caused widespread destruction and loss of life along the Japanese Coastline at such a crucial position on a plate boundary and with the way that it reaches far deeper than anywhere else in the region the Japan trench has become a useful feature that scientists can use to study tectonic activity in closer detail not only has it helped to better understand the Dynamics of subduction zones and the potential for future seismic events in general but sensors within the trench will now hopefully give advanced warning of events that will affect the mainland whether they be earthquakes or tsunamis number nine the silphra ravine the silphra rift is an amazing geological feature in Iceland that's famous for its crystal clear water and unique diving experiences located within the tingfacturer national park the silphra rift is the result of tectonic forces that are pulling apart the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates creating a fissure in the Earth's crust and it is one of the best places on Earth to see this process in action for yourself the rift is part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge an underwater mountain range that stretches across the Atlantic Ocean and marks the boundary between two major tectonic plates Iceland itself is on this geological hotspot which is why it's a hotbed of geothermal activity but what's really special about the silver Rift is the Purity and visibility of its water the water that fills the rift comes from the nearby lengo Glacier which acts as a natural filtration system and as the water travels through the porous volcanic rock for approximately 30 to 100 years before reaching silphra it becomes incredibly clear and free of set elements offering underwater visibility that can exceed over 328 feet or a hundred meters divers and snorkelers are treated to a stunning experience as they explore the underwater landscape with the opportunity to swim between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates the movements of these plates create further smaller fissures and crevices that divers can glide through and create a surreal experience with one continent on either side and it's also like a natural geologic time capsule that offers a glimpse into the ongoing processes shaping our planet as with other formations like this the silver Rift also holds a significant scientific value geologists and researchers study it to better understand the tectonic plate movements fault lines and the processes associated with the separation of continents it serves as a natural laboratory for studying underwater geology and the unique ecosystems that thrive in this cold and clear environment number eight the motagua fault the motagua fault is a significant tectonic feature located in Central America running mainly through Guatemala and Honduras it's one of the most seismically active and well-studied fault lines in the region making it a subject of great geological interest it's what's known as a major strike slip fault where the movement between the two tectonic plate occurs horizontally as opposed to vertically in a Thrust or dip slip fault it marks the boundary between the North American Plate and the Caribbean plate and it's where the Caribbean plate is moving Eastward relative to the North American Plate at a rate of several centimeters per year leading to the buildup of stress along the fault line This fault is responsible for a number of past earthquakes that have caused significant destruction and loss of life in the region with several large events throughout history such as the devastating 1976 Guatemalan earthquake which had a magnitude of 7.5 this earthquake resulted in thousands of fatalities and widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure this Quake was so powerful that it tore cracks along the landscape and it's now one of the best places in the world where you can see fault line traces like these in many regions a zigzag crack formed known as a mole track which almost looks like the Earth is unzipping under the extreme pressure the tectonic activity along this montagua fault is also responsible for the formation of the motogua valley which is a long and narrow depression that runs parallel to the fall line the Valley's creation is the result of the continuous movement in the form of earthquakes along the fault as the North American Plate continues to slide past the Caribbean plate given the Region's High seismic activity and vulnerability to Quakes scientists and geologists closely monitor the montagua fault to better understand Its Behavior and the potential for future seismic events the data collected from this monitoring is used to assess the seismic hazard in the area helping to inform building codes and emergency preparedness plans to mitigate hopefully the impact of future earthquakes moving on to number seven the kekarengu fault kakarangu fault located in New Zealand's South Island is a significant fault line that plays a crucial role in the Region's tectonic activity stretching for approximately 68 miles or 110 kilometers along the northeastern Coastline this fault line is part of the Marlboro fault system which is responsible for shaping the complex landscape of the area the kekarengu fault is a type of strike slip Vault where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally in this case the Pacific Plate and the indo-australian plate are the two plates involved and the fault where they meet is characterized by its right lateral movement meaning that when facing the fault the opposite side of it appears to shift to the right this movement is the result of ongoing forces that build up over time and releasing energy in the form of earthquakes when the accumulated stress reaches a critical point throughout history the kakurangu fault has experienced numerous seismic events some of which have been extremely powerful the most famous in recent times was the 2016 earthquake which measured a magnitude of 7.8 8 and struck near the town of kaikoura causing widespread damage and altering the landscape in various ways this earthquake was a result of multiple fault ruptures including the kakarenga fault the activity along the fault over the years has scarred the region with distinctive formations such as scarps and Terraces which stretch for hundreds of miles these features offer valuable insights into the history of past seismic events and provide geologists with crucial data for understanding fault behavior and earthquake hazards in the area and are one of the clearest places where you can see just how much of an impact earthquakes can have on the surface given the kekerengu's false seismic history and ongoing activity it is closely monitored by geological agencies and research institutions seismologists regularly study the false Behavior to better understand its potential with the data collected from monitoring stations and geological surveys helping to inform Hazard assessments infrastructure planning and emergency preparedness strategies in the region number six the Gorka earthquake the Gorka earthquake which is also referred to as the Nepal earthquake was a devastating event that struck Nepal and several neighboring regions on April 25th of 2015. with a magnitude of 7.8 it was the most powerful earthquake to hit the country in over 80 years leaving behind a trail of Destruction the epicenter was located in the Gorka District which is around 50 miles or 80 kilometers to the northwest of Kathmandu the capital city of Nepal the rupture happened along the main Himalayan thrust fault where the Indian plate is colliding with and being subducted beneath the Eurasian plate this resulted in intense activity in the region including in some places where the Earth and Roads cracked the initial shock and the numerous aftershocks that followed caused widespread Devastation and as well as splitting the ground the earthquake triggered landslides avalanches and the collapse of thousands of buildings including ancient temples historic sites and modern infrastructure picture the Tremors were felt across Nepal as well as in parts of India China Bangladesh and Bhutan the loss of human lives made it the worst event in the country in modern times with an estimated death of over 8 000 including 22 who died on Mount Everest and more than 21 000 people injured countless others were displaced leaving them homeless and vulnerable to harsh living conditions and the impact of the earthquake was especially severe in rural areas where infrastructure was limited in access to Aid and Medical Care was challenging in the aftermath there were significant challenges to the rescue and relief efforts because of the country's rugged terrain difficult weather and remote locations the International Community including neighboring countries and Global organizations mobilized to provide assistance with relief teams medical personnel and humanitarian Aid pouring into the affected areas and if it hadn't been for this it would have been even more of a humanitarian disaster number five reel foot Lake set within the Northwestern corner of Tennessee realfoot lake was created by a series of violent earthquakes in the early 19th century and has since become a natural jewel in the landscape and a popular destination for locals the Lake's story began in the winter of 1811 to 1812 when earthquakes hit the region around New Madrid Missouri and caused the land to sink and crack a Shallow Lake began to form on what was formerly the root of the realfoot river and the event was so significant that it permanently altered the landscape creating a stunning network of cypress trees and submerged forests that have since become the Hallmark of the Lake's Beauty there's been very little seismic activity in the region since then and today Reelfoot Lake is a wildlife Enthusiast Paradise home to an astonishing variety of animal and plant species its aquatic vegetation and the submerged forests provide an essential habitat for numerous bird species including great blue herons bald eagles and of course pelicans and the waters are teeming with fish like crappy catfish and bass attracting Anglers from far and wide realizing the importance of this newly formed feature officials established the realfoot Lake State Park in 1930 and this plays a crucial role in preserving the area's Beauty the park offers an array of recreational opportunities from guided boat tours through the cypress trees to Wildlife observation researchers are though keeping an eye on the seismic activity in the area because it is quite possible that at some point in the future another event that will happen which will cause an even more dramatic change number four the budge earthquake taking place on January 26 2001 the bouge earthquake measured a magnitude 7.7 and was one of the most destructive earthquakes in India's history it struck near the town of budge which is in the kuch district of guadrat and is a region that sits on the tectonic boundary between the Indian and Eurasian plates making it susceptible to seismic activity the initial Tremor and subsequent aftershocks caused widespread destruction across a huge area the impact of the earthquake extended far affecting nearby towns and cities including anjar and amenabad guajarat's largest city almost immediately people began finding huge cracks that had been formed across the Landscapes and in various different places such as farmland mountainsides and the centers of towns it was almost as if the world was opening up to swallow everything the loss of human lives was tragic with an estimated death toll of over 20 000 people and more than 166 000 were injured the earthquake also inflicted huge damage image on infrastructure disrupting communication networks roads and electricity which hindered the delivery of Aid and relief efforts the disaster triggered a massive response from the Indian government and international humanitarian organizations Aid and relief teams including medical personnel and rescue Specialists rushed to the affected region and the Indian army and Air Force played a crucial role too in conducting rescue operations following the disaster it became clear how underprepared the Indian authorities were for an event like that and huge investment has been put aside to make sure that if it happens again the death toll wouldn't be anywhere near as high number three Lake Baikal Lake Baikal which is in Siberia in Russia is often referred to as the pearl of Siberia and holds the record for being the world's deepest and oldest freshwater lake to get to this size it's been formed in the same way as most others and its creation is an example of the hugely powerful natural forces that happen along fault lines the formation of this Lake can be traced back to the Mesozoic Era approximately 25 million years ago at that time the area is what's known as Siberia underwent extensive tectonic activity known as rifting this happens when the Earth's crust stretches and pulls apart and leads to the creation of faults and fractures in the lithosphere which at surface levels in extremely violent and dangerous event this process initiated the formation of a vast Rift Valley gradually widening and deepening over time and each further earthquake would tear the valley even more as this Rift Valley evolved it formed a depression in the Earth's surface and this would eventually be filled with water from various sources including Rivers streams and precipitation initially this ancient body of water was a small shallow Lake but around 20 million years ago during the myocene Epic another significant geological event transformed the ancient Lake into the expansive body of water that we recognized today as Lake baiko the Indian plate part of the larger indo-australian plate collided with the Eurasian plate leading to the uplift this uplift not only elevated the surrounding land but also deepened the lake allowing it to reach its current impressive depth of over a mile or 1.6 kilometers the Lake's unique formation doesn't end there as it's situated in a region known as the baiko rift Zone which is an active tectonic area where the Earth's crust is still pulling apart today as a result the lake continues to slowly widen at a rate of a few inches per year it's believed that it contains 5600 cubic miles of water which represents around 23 percent of the planet's entire supply of surface fresh water number two Northeast Croatian sinkholes while several fault lines exist in the country Croatia isn't a place that typically associated with powerful earthquakes but in 2021 strange cracks and holes started appearing in some regions that were linked back to activity taking place far beneath the surface at the end of December in 2020 a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the region around the city of petringium which itself was the strongest Quake to have hit the country in more than 40 years that killed seven people and ruined thousands of homes It's Not Unusual to hear about these formations occurring at the same time as the Quake happens but something else happened this time and it took months before things settled just a few days after the earthquake some residents began reporting the appearance of huge holes on their land some of which measured 98 feet or 30 meters wide and up to 49 feet or 15 meters deep a month later at least a hundred had formed and were still developing seemingly at random all within a small region around the Quake epicenter sinkholes do sometimes happen after a quake but there's never been a case where so many have been found and researchers were soon flying in to try to explain why this was happening with holes and backyards next to the entrances of homes and in some cases swallowing entire properties it's now believed to have been the result of a unique geology in the area most of the ground rock is made up of limestone which is susceptible to being eroded away by water this process usually takes place over a very long period and an occasional sinkhole would be expected but the earthquake changed all of this it created a network of fractures within the already fragile rock and this allowed water to seep through like never before it wore away at the Rock and created cavities in just a matter of weeks which then eventually caused the surface to collapse into them of course knowing that this happens doesn't necessarily offer any way of predicting where it's going to happen or preventing it but next time an earthquake hits the region part of the emergency response will be to carefully monitor the ground in the weeks afterwards to minimize injuries and the Damage that are caused by sinkholes like these number one Weber deep bend a c the Weber deep which is in the banda sea near Indonesia is a huge depression in the sea floor that's captured the attention of scientists and oceanographers alike as the deepest point in the banda sea and one of the deepest locations on Earth it's not a deep sea trench but instead what's known as a four Arc Basin and at 23 166 square miles or sixty thousand square kilometers in size it's believed to be the largest exposed fault along the Ring of firearm the Benda sea itself is surrounded by a volcanic Arc known as the banda Arc which is a result of the collision between the Australian plate and the Sunda plate this tectonic activity has given rise to complex geological settings in the region characterized by the presence of subduction zones where one tectonic plate is being forced beneath another Weber deep is part of this intricate tectonic puzzle and was formed when the Earth's crust broke off along an extension of a fault where the banda sea plate is being subducted beneath the Indonesian plate the volcanoes of the banda Arc such as gulong API and Banda API showed just how active processes in the region continue to be the Deep's formation is an ongoing process that's still happening and the precise depth is difficult to measure accurately due to its remote location but estimates suggest that it reaches depths of around twenty four thousand four hundred and forty two feet or 7450 meters every earthquake that happens pulls it apart even further too and it's where some of the most powerful ones on Earth take place in 1629 for example a 9.2 magnitude Mega thrust earthquake was focused on the area and not only did it produce a 49-foot or 15 meter high tsunami but experienced regular aftershocks for more than nine years after the initial event despite being created by what was essentially a fluke of tectonic activity Weber deep has become crucial to the marine environment while it is extremely difficult to explore because of how remote how deep and how large it is we know for example that it also plays a vital role in the Earth's carbon cycle as it acts as a sink for organic matter and carbon preventing it from being released in the atmosphere this also means that there's more nutrition within the region than you'd expect otherwise and this sustains a wide array of deep sea organisms adapted to survive in these extreme conditions these organisms include bizarre and mysterious creatures such as deep sea fish squids and mother invertebrates with the unique environment giving new understanding of how life can flourish in such extreme environments and has the potential to reveal new insights into the origin and evolution of Earth thank you to our channel members thank you

Channel: Top Fives

Views: 312,226

Keywords: earhquake, geology

Id: iKzIULEP6lg

Length: 26min 56sec (1616 seconds)

Published: Mon Aug 21 2023