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Deadliest Earthquake History

November 27, 2011 by · Comments Off on Deadliest Earthquake History 

Deadliest Earthquake History, Tsunamis and fires have contributed to some of the largest death tolls in earthquakes. Here are the most notable known earthquake events, based on the number of deaths. Both deaths and magnitudes, when shown, are estimates.

January 23, 1556
China, Shansi
830,000
~8
Damage up to 270 miles away

July 27, 1976
China, Tangshan
255,000 (official)
655,000 (estimated)
7.5
Estimated death toll as high as 655,000.

Dec. 26, 2004 Sumatra, Indonesia 227,898 9.1 Deaths from earthquake and tsunami
August 9, 1138
Syria, Aleppo
230,000
n/a

Jan. 12, 2010 Haiti 222,570 7.0 1.3 million displaced.
May 22, 1927
China, near Xining
200,000
7.9
Large fractures.

December 22, 856+
Iran, Damghan
200,000
n/a

December 16, 1920
China, Gansu
200,000
8.6
Major fractures, landslides.

March 23, 893
Iran, Ardabil
150,000

September 1, 1923
Japan, Kanto
(Kwanto)
143,000
7.9
Great Tokyo fire.

October 5, 1948
USSR
(Turkmenistan, Ashgabat)
110,000
7.3

December 28, 1908
Italy, Messina
70,000 to 100,000
(estimated)
7.2
Deaths from earthquake and tsunami.

September, 1290
China, Chihli
100,000
n/a

May 12, 2008 Sichuan, China 87,586 7.9 More than 45.5 million affected
Oct. 8, 2005 Pakistan 85,000 7.6 More than 69,000 injured
November, 1667
Caucasia, Shemakha
80,000

November 18, 1727
Iran, Tabriz
77,000
n/a

November 1, 1755
Portugal, Lisbon
70,000
8.7
Great tsunami.

December 25, 1932
China, Gansu
70,000
7.6

May 31, 1970
Peru
66,000
7.9
$530,000,000 damage, great rock slide, floods.

1268
Asia Minor, Silicia
60,000
n/a

January 11, 1693
Italy, Sicily
60,000

May 30, 1935
Pakistan, Quetta
30,000 to 60,000
7.5
Quetta almost completely destroyed.

February 4, 1783
Italy, Calabria
50,000

June 20, 1990
Iran
50,000
7.7
Landslides.

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