The Deadliest Earthquakes in History
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The deadliest earthquakes in history are the ones that kill the most people. The number of fatalities depends frequently on the depth of the earthquake (closer earthquakes tend to be more destructive),
The density of the people, and the amount of force that buildings and other structures can withstand before failing.
Some earthquakes, like the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and the 2011 Great Sendai Earthquake in Japan, resulted in tsunamis that increased the damage and casualties.
In contrast, the 1960 and 2010 Chile earthquakes, two of the deadliest earthquakes ever recorded, resulted in comparatively few fatalities.
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The Deadliest Earthquakes in History
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The Earthquake that occurred in Kashmir (administrated by Pakistan)
The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan, which is controlled by Pakistan, and the Kashmir region both experienced a magnitude-7.6 earthquake on October 8, 2005.
At least 79,000 people were killed and more than 32,000 buildings collapsed in Kashmir, with additional fatalities and destruction reported in India and Afghanistan, making it one of the most deadliest earthquakes of contemporary times.
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The Sichuan Earthquake in China’s Sichuan Province
The Sichuan Earthquake in China’s Sichuan Province
Over 5 million people were made homeless due to the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, and the original seismic event and the discharge of water from a neighboring lake devastated more than half of the town of Beichuan.
The earthquake that struck the hilly core portion of Sichuan province in southwestern China on May 12, 2008, caused immense destruction.
The West Peru’s Great Peruvian Earthquake
On May 31, 1970, an earthquake off the coast of Peru caused enormous landslides, which resulted in the collapse of many poorly constructed buildings. Approximately 70,000 people died.
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The Earthquake and Tsunami that occurred in the Indian Ocean basin
A 9.1 magnitude underwater earthquake that hit off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on December 26, 2004, at 7:59 am local time.
Over the course of the following seven hours, a tsunami caused by the earthquake spread over the Indian Ocean, wreaking havoc on coastal communities as far away as East Africa.
In other places, it was claimed that the waves had broken at a height of 30 feet (9 meters) or higher.
At least 225,000 people were killed by the tsunami in 12 different countries, with Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, and the Maldives suffering significant losses.
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The Northwest China’s Great Tangshan Earthquake
The Chinese coal mining and industrial city of Tangshan, which is located approximately 110 kilometers (68 miles) east of Beijing, was almost completely destroyed by the Tangshan earthquake of 1976, also known as the Great Tangshan Earthquake, which struck on July 28, 1976, with a magnitude of 7.5.
The official death toll, which is believed to be among the highest in recorded history at 242,000, may have reached 655,000.
At least 700,000 additional individuals sustained injuries, and severe property destruction occurred that even reached Beijing.
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The Haiti (Hispaniola) earthquake
The Port-au-Prince metropolitan region was damaged by the 2010 Haiti earthquake, which also left an estimated 1.5 million survivors homeless.
The Deadliest Earthquakes of the Twenty-first Century
Morocco had a strong earthquake on September 8, 2023. The 6.8-magnitude earthquake, which had its epicenter in the Atlas Mountains and caused structural damage to Marrakesh’s medieval city center, killed thousands of people.
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Here is a list of the deadliest earthquakes of the twenty-first century, ordered by death toll.
Rank | Date | Location | Total Deaths | Magnitude |
---|---|---|---|---|
11 | Sep, 2018 | 4,340 | 7.5 | |
12 | May, 2003 | 2,287 | 6.8 | |
13 | Aug, 2021 | 2,248 | 7.2 | |
14 | April, 2010 | 2,220 | 6.9 | |
15 | March, 2005 | 1,313 | 8.6 | |
16 | Sep, 2009 | 1,117 | 7.5 | |
17 | June, 2022 | 1,039 | 5.9 | |
18 | March, 2002 | 1,000 | 6.1 | |
19 | Jan, 2001 | 844 | 7.7 | |
20 | Sep, 2013 | 825 | 7.7 |
Rank | Date | Location | Total Deaths | Magnitude |
---|---|---|---|---|
21 | July, 2006 | 802 | 7.7 | |
22 | April, 2016 | 663 | 7.8 | |
23 | Nov, 2022 | 635 | 5.6 | |
24 | Nov, 2017 | 630 | 7.3 | |
25 | Feb, 2004 | 628 | 6.4 | |
26 | Aug, 2014 | 615 | 6.2 | |
27 | Feb, 2005 | 612 | 6.4 | |
28 | Oct, 2011 | 604 | 7.1 | |
29 | Aug, 2018 | 560 | 6.9 | |
30 | Feb, 2010 | 558 | 8.8 |
Rank | Date | Location | Total Deaths | Magnitude |
---|---|---|---|---|
31 | Aug, 2007 | 514 | 8.0 | |
32 | Oct, 2010 | 431 | 7.8 | |
33 | Oct, 2015 | 399 | 7.5 | |
34 | Sep, 2017 | 369 | 7.1 | |
35 | Feb, 2001 | 315 | 6.6 | |
36 | April, 2009 | 309 | 6.3 | |
37 | Aug, 2012 | 306 | 6.5 | |
38 | Aug, 2016 | 299 | 6.2 | |
39 | June, 2002 | 261 | 6.5 | |
40 | Feb, 2003 | 261 | 6.3 |
Rank | Date | Location | Total Deaths | Magnitude |
---|---|---|---|---|
41 | Oct, 2013 | 222 | 7.1 | |
42 | Oct, 2008 | 215 | 6.4 | |
43 | April, 2013 | 196 | 6.6 | |
44 | Sep, 2009 | 192 | 8.1 | |
45 | Feb, 2011 | 185 | 6.1 | |
46 | May, 2003 | 177 | 6.4 | |
47 | March, 2002 | 166 | 7.4 | |
48 | Feb, 2018 | 145 | 7.5 | |
49 | Oct, 2020 | 118 | 7.0 | |
50 | Sep, 2022 | 118 | 6.6 |