Deadliest Earthquakes in History
More that 88,000 people died in the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, making it the 13th deadliest earthquake in history.
There have only been 23 earthquakes in recorded history with a death toll of 50,000 or higher. Listed below are the 23 quakes.
Deadliest Earthquakes in History
50,000 Deaths or More
| 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 |
88,710+ |
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 |
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