Deadliest Earthquakes in History
50,000 Deaths or More
(Note: The current estimated death toll in Haiti is 200,000, which would sadly mean
that the Haiti quake would be among the top 8 deadliest in recorded history.)
| Date |
Location |
Deaths |
Magnitude |
Jan. 23, 1556 |
Shansi, China | 830,000 | n.a. | July 27, 1976 |
Tangshan, China |
255,000 |
8.0 | Dec. 26, 2004 |
off west coast of Sumatra (caused the tsunami) |
242,000+ |
9.0 | Aug. 9, 1138 |
Aleppo, Syria | 230,000 | n.a. | May 22, 1927 |
near Xining, China | 200,000 | 8.3 | Dec. 22, 856 |
Damghan, Iran | 200,000 | n.a. | Dec. 16, 1920 |
Gansu, China | 200,000 | 8.6 | March 23, 893 |
Ardabil, Iran | 150,000 | n.a. | Sept. 1, 1923 |
Kwanto, Japan | 143,000 | 8.3 | Oct. 5, 1948 |
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, USSR | 110,000 | 7.3 | Dec. 28, 1908 |
Messina, Italy | 70,000–
100,000 | 7.5 | Sept. 1290 |
Chihli, China | 100,000 | n.a. |
Oct. 8, 2005 |
2005 Pakistan Earthquake |
80,361 |
7.6 |
Nov. 1667 |
Shemakha, Caucasia | 80,000 | n.a. | Nov. 18, 1727 |
Tabriz, Iran | 77,000 | n.a. | Nov. 1, 1755 |
Lisbon, Portugal | 70,000 | 8.7 | Dec. 25, 1932 |
Gansu, China | 70,000 | 7.6 | May 31, 1970 |
Peru | 66,000 | 7.8 | 1268 |
Silicia, Asia Minor | 60,000 | n.a. | Jan. 11, 1693 |
Sicily, Italy | 60,000 | n.a. | May 30, 1935 |
Quetta, Pakistan | 30,000–
60,000 | 7.5 | Feb. 4, 1783 |
Calabria, Italy | 50,000 | n.a. | June 20, 1990 |
Iran | 50,000 | 7.7 |
|
In Haiti?
Text 4636
(International:
447624802524)
on Digicel with your
location and need.
Report emergencies
and missing persons.
If you're on the ground
in Haiti, Twitter using
#MapNow to report
items to rebuild that
need disaster
response. They will
be
mapped for
Red Cross use.
|
