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How did the Chile earthquake of 2010 compare in magnitude with the 1960 Chile earthquake?
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Chile earthquake of 2010
A collapsed building in Concepción, Chile, following an earthquake, 2010.
The Chile earthquake of 2010 had a magnitude of 8.8. In comparison, the Chile earthquake of 1960 was significantly more powerful, registering a magnitude of 9.5.123
While the 2010 event was the strongest earthquake to strike the region since 1960, the 1960 earthquake remains the most powerful earthquake ever recorded. The difference in magnitude reflects the total energy released by each event, as measured by the moment magnitude scale, which is the standard for accurately assessing the size of the world's largest seismic events.14