2017 is a year characterized by numerous disasters and catastrophes. From hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes, 2017 definitely makes a mark in history for all its accidents. Scientists even speculate that the world might end through the disasters that have happened during this year. However, of all these calamities, earthquakes specifically have caused worldwide chaos. Furthermore, there have been three earthquakes around the world named to be the deadliest. They are the Puebla Earthquake, Chiapas Earthquake, and the Central Italy Earthquakes. These three are ranked as the three deadliest earthquakes during 2017 in terms of casualties. All three have caused long-lasting chaos and affected thousands of people across the world.

The deadliest earthquake of 2017 is the Puebla Earthquake of Mexico that struck 13:14 CDT on 19 September 2017. “The epicenter of the 7.1-magnitude earthquake was 2.8 miles (4.5 kilometers) east-northeast of San Juan Raboso and 34.1 miles (55 km) south-southwest of the city of Puebla.” This earthquake killed more than 200 and still continues to have a devastating effect. It had dozens of school children missing and many were anxious to search for their loved ones. In a recent interview, a man mentioned driving in a rush to check on his grandfather. He reported seeing smoke, damaged buildings, and explosions which helped him realize it was reality.

The second deadliest earthquake is the Chiapas Earthquake which struck the southern coast of Mexico, 23:49?CDT, on September 7. It had a magnitude of 8.1, recording Mexico’s second strongest earthquake recorded in the country’s history. Interestingly, this earthquake also brought along a tsunami risk, since the epicenter was located in the Pacific Ocean. This earthquake also had a lot of aftershocks, and the Puebla Earthquake happened soon after this one.

The third deadliest earthquakes are the Central Italy earthquakes. Unlike the ones above, this earthquake isn’t one specific blow but a collective name for four major earthquakes. However, it is often regarded as one event due to their extremely close radius and time. This earthquake specifically caused problems due to the region’s thick blanket of snow. Especially since this region was recovering from another recent blow, this earthquake had a huge effect both physically and mentally on the people.

Overall, the three deadliest earthquakes can be characterized not only by their high magnitudes but the situation that made it hard for the people to recover. All three had been hit often before these specific events occurred, leading to further chaos and instability for the people.



<Ashley Kim New Covenant Academy 10th>