Lists of earthquakes

(Redirected from Largest earthquakes)

Earthquakes are caused by movements within the Earth's crust and uppermost mantle. They range from weak events detectable only by seismometers, to sudden and violent events lasting many minutes which have caused some of the greatest disasters in human history. Below, earthquakes are listed by period, region or country, year, magnitude, cost, fatalities, and number of scientific studies.

Earthquakes (6.0+ Mw) between 1900 and 2017

Lists by time period

By century

By decade

By year

Lists by location

By country

By region

Deadliest earthquakes by year

DateMagnitudeLocationDepth (km)MMIDeaths
May 1, 19297.2  Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic, Ahal Region10.0IX3,257–3,800
July 23, 19306.6  Italy, Irpinia15.0X1,404
August 10, 19318.0  China, Xinjiang Province20.0XI10,000
May 20, 19325.4  Persia, Mazandaran province12.0VIII1,070
August 25, 19337.3  China, Sichuan Province15.0X6,865-9,300
January 15, 19348.0    Nepal, Koshi15.0X10,700-12,000
May 30, 19357.7  British Raj, Khanate of Kalat15.0X30,000-60,000
April 1, 19366.8  China, Guangxi Province0.0IX1,001
July 31, 19376.9  China, Shandong Province25.0IX3,252
April 19, 19386.6  Turkey, Kırşehir Province10.0IX224
December 27, 19397.8  Turkey, Erzincan Province20.0XII32,700–32,968
November 10, 19407.7  Romania, Vrancea County133.0X1,000
January 11, 19415.8–6.5  Yemen, Razih District35.0VIII1,200
December 20, 19427.0  Turkey, Erbaa10.0IX3,000
November 27, 19437.5–7.7  Turkey, Çankırı20.0XI2,824–5,000
January 15, 19447.0  Argentina, San Juan15.0IX10,000
November 28, 19458.1  British Raj, Makran Coast15.0X300–4,000
August 4, 19467.8  Dominican Republic, Samaná15.0IX2,550
August 4, 19477.7  Peru, Junín Province20.0IX233–2,233
October 6, 19487.3  Soviet Union, Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic15.0X10,000–110,000
July 10, 19497.5  Soviet Union, Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic18.0IX7,200
August 15, 19508.6  India, Assam15.0XI4,800
May 6, 19515.9–6.2  El Salvador, Usulután85.0VIII400–1,100
November 5, 19529.0  Soviet Union, Russian Soviet Socialist Republic21.6XI2,336
March 18, 19537.5  Turkey, Balıkesir Province10.0IX1,070
September 9, 19546.7  France, Chlef Province, Algeria15.0XI1,243–1,409
March 31, 19557.4  Philippines, Western Mindanao35.0VIII465
October 31, 19566.4  Iran, Hormozgan15.0VII347
December 13, 19576.5  Iran, Hamadan15.0VII1,130
August 16, 19586.7  Iran, Lorestan15.0VII132
August 18, 19597.3  United States, Montana5.0X28
February 29, 19605.8  Morocco, Souss-Massa15.0X12,000–15,000
June 11, 19616.4  Iran, Fars province15.0VIII60
September 1, 19627.1  Iran, Qazvin province10.0IX12,225
July 26, 19636.1  Yugoslavia, Macedonia15.0X1,070
March 27, 19649.2  United States, Alaska25.0XI131
March 28, 19657.4–7.6  Chile, Valparaíso Region70.0IX400–500
March 22, 19666.8  China, Hebei20.0IX8,064
July 29, 19676.6  Venezuela, Vargas25.0VIII225–300
August 31, 19687.1  Iran, South Khorasan Province10.0X15,900
July 25, 19696.4  China, Guangdong20.0VIII3,000
May 31, 19707.9  Peru, Ancash45.0VIII66,794–70,000
May 22, 19716.6  Turkey, Bingöl10.0VIII875[1]
April 10, 19726.7  Iran, Fars10.0IX5,374
February 6, 19737.6  China, Sichuan11.0X2,175–2,204
May 10, 19747.1  China, Yunnan14.0IX1,641–20,000
September 6, 19756.7  Turkey, Diyarbakır26.0IX2,311
July 28, 19767.6  China, Hebei12.2XI242,719–655,000
March 4, 19777.5  Romania, Vrancea85.3IX1,700
September 16, 19787.4  Iran, Yazd33.0IX15,000–25,000
December 12, 19798.2  Colombia, Nariño33.0IX300–600
October 10, 19807.1  Algeria, Chlef10.0X2,633–5,000
June 11 and July 28, 19816.6 & 7.1  Iran, Kerman33.0VIII & IX3,000
December 13, 19826.2  North Yemen, Dhamar10.0VIII2,800
October 30, 19836.6  Turkey, Erzurum15.0IX1,340
September 13, 19846.3  Japan, Nagano2.0VIII14
September 19, 19858.0  Mexico, Michoacán20.0IX5,000–45,000
October 10, 19865.7  El Salvador, San Salvador10.0IX1,000–1,500
March 6, 19877.1  Ecuador, Sucumbíos10.0IX1,000
December 7, 19886.8  Soviet Union, Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic5.0X25,000–50,000
January 23, 19895.3  Soviet Union, Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic33.0VII274
June 21, 19907.4  Iran, Gilan18.5X35,000–40,000
October 20, 19916.8  India, Uttar Pradesh11.6IX768–2,000[2]
December 12, 19927.8  Indonesia, Flores Sea offshore27.7VIII2,500[3]
September 29, 19936.2  India, Maharashtra10.0VIII9,748
June 6, 19946.8  Colombia, Cauca12.1IX1,100
January 17, 19956.9  Japan, Kobe21.9XI5,502–6,434
February 3, 19966.6  China, Yunnan10.0X309–322
May 10, 19977.3  Iran, Khorasan10.0X1,567
May 30, 19986.5  Afghanistan, Takhar33.0VII4,000–4,500
August 17, 19997.6  Turkey, İzmit17.0X17,127–18,373
June 4, 20007.9  Indonesia, Enggano Island offshore44.0VI103[4]
January 26, 20017.6  India, Bhuj16.0X13,805–20,023
March 25, 20026.1  Afghanistan, Baghlan Province8.0VII1,200
December 26, 20036.6  Iran, Bam15.0IX34,000
December 26, 20049.2–9.3  Indonesia, Sumatra offshore30.0IX227,898
October 8, 20057.6  Pakistan, Balakot15.0XI86,000–87,351
May 27, 20066.4  Indonesia, Yogyakarta10.0IX5,749[5]
August 15, 20078.0  Peru, Ica offshore39.0IX595
May 12, 20087.9  China, Sichuan19.0XI87,587
September 30, 20097.6  Indonesia, Padang offshore90.0VII[6]1,115
January 12, 20107.0  Haiti, Léogâne13.0X100,000–316,000
March 11, 20119.1  Japan, Sendai offshore29.0IX19,759
August 11, 20126.4  Iran, East Azerbaijan9.0VIII306
September 24, 20137.7  Pakistan, Balochistan15.0IX825
August 3, 20146.1  China, Yunnan10.0IX617
April 25, 20157.8    Nepal, Gorkha District8.2X8,962
April 16, 20167.8  Ecuador, Esmeraldas20.6VIII[7]676
November 12, 20177.3 IranIraq border Region19.0IX630
September 28, 20187.5  Indonesia, Palu20.0X4,340
November 26, 20196.4  Albania, Durrës10.0VIII51
October 30, 20207.0  Greece
 Turkey
Aegean Sea
21.0VIII119
August 14, 20217.2  Haiti, Nippes10.0IX2,248
June 21, 20226.0  Afghanistan, Khost10.0VIII1,052–1,163
February 6, 20237.8 & 7.7  Turkey, Southeastern Anatolia
 Syria, Aleppo, and Idlib Governorates
10.0 & 7.4XII59,488–62,013
January 1, 20247.5  Japan, Ishikawa10.0X260

Largest earthquakes by year

YearMagnitudeLocationDepth (km)MMIDeathsInjuries
January 7, 1937[8]7.8  China, Qinghai15.0VIII00
February 1, 19388.5–8.6  Dutch East Indies, Maluku offshore60.0VII00
December 21, 1939[9]8.1  Dutch East Indies, Central Sulawesi offshore150.0VII00
May 24, 19408.2  Peru, Lima45.0VIII179–3003,500
November 18, 19418.0  Japan, Miyazaki offshore35.0VII20
August 24, 19428.2  Peru, Ica35.0IX3025
April 6, 19437.9–8.2  Chile, Coquimbo35.0VIII110
December 7, 19448.1  Japan, Wakayama offshore30.0VIII1,2232,135
November 27, 19458.1  India, Balochistan offshore15.0X4,0000
April 1, 19468.6  United States, Alaska offshore15.0VI1730
May 27, 1947[10] & November 1, 19477.6  Dutch East Indies, Papua offshore15.0VI00
 Peru, Junin20.0IX2330
January 24, 19487.8  Philippines, Panay15.0X500
August 22, 19498.0  Canada, Haida Gwaii10.0VIII00
August 15, 19508.6 India–China, AssamTibet border region15.0XI4,8000
November 24, 19517.8  Taiwan, East Rift Valley30.0VII851,200
November 4, 19529.0  Soviet Union, Kamchatka21.6XI2,3360
November 25, 1953[11]7.9  Japan, Yokohama25.0V10
March 29, 1954[12]7.8  Spain, Andalusia626.2IV00
February 27, 1955[13]7.5  New Zealand, Kermadec Islands15.0I00
July 9, 19567.7  Greece, Dodecanese Islands20.0IX560
March 9, 19578.6–9.1  United States, Aleutian Islands, Alaska25.0VIII20
November 6, 19588.3  Soviet Union, Kuril Islands35.0X051
May 4, 19597.9  Soviet Union, Kamchatka55.0VIII113
May 22, 19609.5  Chile, Valdivia25.0XII6,00011,000
August 19, 1961[14]7.6  Peru, Madre de Dios Region612.2IV00
May 21, 1962[15]7.5  Fiji offshore390.0I00
October 13, 19638.5  Soviet Union, Kuril Islands35.0IX00
March 27, 19649.1–9.2 Alaska, Prince William Sound25.0XI1310
February 3, 19658.7 Alaska, Aleutian Islands30.3VI00
October 17, 19668.1  Peru, Arequipa38.0IX1253,000
July 22, 19677.4  Turkey, Sakarya Province30.0X860
May 16, 19688.3  Japan, Hokkaidō26.0VIII52330
August 11, 1969[16]8.2  Soviet Union, Kuril Islands30.0VIII00
July 31, 19708.0  Colombia, Amazonas Department644.8IV14
July 26, 19718.1  Papua New Guinea, Kokopo37.0IX35
1972[17]8.0  Philippines, Mindanao60.0VII00
June 17, 19737.8  Japan, Hokkaidō43.3VIII027
October 3, 19748.1  Peru, Lima13.0IX782,400
May 26, 19757.9north Atlantic Ocean33.0VI00
August 17, 19768.0  Philippines, Moro Gulf33.0VIII8,00010,000
August 19, 19778.3  Indonesia, Bima25.0VI1891,100
June 12, 19787.7  Japan, Miyagi44.0VIII281,325
December 12, 19798.2  Colombia, Nariño offshore
 Ecuador, Esmeraldas offshore
24.0IX6000
July 17, 1980[18]7.7  Solomon Islands, Santa Cruz Islands33.0VI00
September 1, 1981[19]7.6  New Zealand, offshore25.0IV00
June 19, 19827.3  El Salvador, offshore73.0VII430
March 18[20] & May 26, 19837.7  Papua New Guinea, New Ireland70.0VII00
 Japan, off the coast of Honshu15.1VIII104324
February 7, 1984[21]7.6  Solomon Islands, Honiara18.1VIII00
September 19, 19858.0  Mexico, Mexico City27.9IX10,00030,000
May 7, 1986[22]8.0  United States, Aleutian Islands, Alaska19.0VII00
November 30, 1987[23]7.9  United States, Gulf of Alaska10.0VI00
March 6, 1988[24]7.7 , Gulf of Alaska15.0V00
May 23, 1989[25]8.0  Australia, Macquarie Island10.0V00
July 16, 19907.7  Philippines, Luzon24.4IX1,6213,000
April 22, 19917.6  Costa Rica, Limón10.0IX127759
December 12, 19927.8  Indonesia, Sunda Islands23.5VIII2,5000
August 8, 19937.8  Guam, Offshore59.3IX071
October 5, 19948.3  Russia, Kuril Islands3.0IX121,742
July 30, 19958.0  Chile, Antofagasta30.5VII359
February 17, 19968.2  Indonesia, Biak11.5VIII166423
December 5, 1997[26]7.8  Russia, Kamchatka Peninsula23.5VIII00
March 25, 19988.1  Antarctica, Balleny Islands10.000
September 21, 19997.7  Taiwan, Nantou County15.5IX2,44411,305
November 16, 20008.0  Papua New Guinea, New Ireland13.0VII20
June 23, 20018.4  Peru, Arequipa33.0VIII1452,713
November 3, 20027.9  United States, Alaska4.2IX01
September 26, 20038.3  Japan, Hokkaidō23.5IX0849
December 26, 20049.2–9.3  Indonesia, Sumatra10.0IX227,898125,000
March 28, 20058.6  Indonesia, Simeulue21.0IX1313300
November 15, 20068.3  Russia, Kuril Islands10.0VI01
September 12, 20078.4  Indonesia, Sumatra34.0VIII230
May 12, 20087.9  China, Sichuan19.0XI87,587374,177
September 29, 20098.1  Samoa, Offshore18.0VII1897
February 27, 20108.8  Chile, Concepción22.9IX55012,000
March 11, 20119.0–9.1  Japan, Honshu29.0IX19,7476,000
April 11, 20128.6  Indonesia, Indian Ocean20.0VII1012
May 24, 20138.3  Russia, Sea of Okhotsk598.1VI00
April 1, 20148.2  Chile, Iquique25.0VIII69
September 16, 20158.3  Chile, Coquimbo22.4IX2134
December 17, 20167.9  Papua New Guinea, New Ireland94.5VII00
September 7, 20178.2  Mexico, Chiapas47.4IX98250
August 19, 20188.2  Fiji, offshore600.0V00
May 26, 20198.0  Peru, Loreto122.6VIII20
July 22, 20207.8  United States, Alaska Peninsula offshore28.0VII00
July 28, 20218.2  United States, Alaska Peninsula offshore32.2VII00
September 11 & September 19, 20227.6  Papua New Guinea, Morobe61.4VIII2142
 Mexico, Michoacán25.5VIII235
February 6, 20237.8  Turkey, Southeastern Anatolia17.9XII59,488–62,013121,704
January 1, 20247.5  Japan, Ishikawa10.0X2601,311

Largest earthquakes by magnitude

A pie chart comparing the seismic moment release of the three largest earthquakes for the hundred-year period from 1906 to 2005 with that for all earthquakes of magnitudes <6, 6 to 7, 7 to 8, and >8 for the same period. The 2011 Japan quake would be roughly similar to Sumatra.
Earthquakes of magnitude 8.0 and greater from 1900 to 2018. The apparent 3D volumes of the bubbles are linearly proportional to their respective fatalities.[27] The colour indicates the continent, and the legend counts the number of quakes for each. Notice the absence of Africa.

For those which occurred before the development and deployment of seismographs – starting around 1900 – magnitudes are estimated from historical reports of the extent and severity of damage.[28]

RankDateLocationEventMagnitude
1May 22, 1960 Valdivia, Chile1960 Valdivia earthquake9.4–9.6
3December 26, 2004 Sumatra, Indonesia2004 Indian Ocean earthquake9.2–9.3[29][30]
2March 27, 1964 Prince William Sound, Alaska, United States1964 Alaska earthquake9.1–9.2[31]
4March 11, 2011 Pacific Ocean, Tōhoku region, Japan2011 Tōhoku earthquake9.0–9.1[32][33]
5November 4, 1952 Kamchatka, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union1952 Severo-Kurilsk earthquake9.0
6January 31, 1906 Ecuador – Colombia1906 Ecuador–Colombia earthquake8.8
7February 27, 2010 Maule, Chile2010 Chile earthquake8.8
8February 3, 1965 Rat Islands, Alaska, United States1965 Rat Islands earthquake8.7
9August 15, 1950 Assam, India – Tibet, China1950 Assam–Tibet earthquake8.6–8.7[34]
10April 1, 1946 Aleutian Islands, Alaska, United States1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake8.6
11March 28, 2005 Sumatra, Indonesia2005 Nias–Simeulue earthquake8.6
12March 9, 1957 Andreanof Islands, Alaska, United States1957 Andreanof Islands earthquake8.6
13April 11, 2012 Sumatra, Indonesia2012 Indian Ocean earthquakes8.6
14November 10, 1922 Atacama, Chile1922 Vallenar earthquake8.5–8.6
15February 1, 1938 Banda Sea, Indonesia (then part of the Dutch East Indies)1938 Banda Sea earthquake8.5–8.6
16October 13, 1963 Kuril Islands, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union1963 Kuril Islands earthquake8.5

Pre-instrumental earthquakes

DateLocationEventMagnitude
July 8, 1730 Valparaíso, Chile (then part of the Spanish Empire)1730 Valparaíso earthquake9.1–9.3 (est.)[35]
October 17, 1737 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russian Empire1737 Kamchatka earthquake9.0–9.3 (est.)
November 17, 1837 Valdivia, Chile1837 Valdivia earthquake8.8–9.5 (est.)[36]
August 31, 1420 Pacific Ocean, Atacama region (now Atacama, Chile)1420 Caldera earthquake8.8–9.4 (est.)
December 16, 1575 Valdivia, Chile (then part of the Spanish Empire)1575 Valdivia earthquake9.0 (est.)
November 24, 1604 Arica, Chile (then part of the Spanish Empire)1604 Arica earthquake9.0 (est.)
October 28, 1707 Pacific Ocean, Shikoku region, Japan1707 Hōei earthquake8.7–9.3 (est.) [37]
November 25, 1833 Sumatra, Indonesia (then part of the Dutch East Indies)1833 Sumatra earthquake8.8–9.2 (est.)
May 17, 1841 Kamchatka, Russian Empire1841 Kamchatka earthquake9.0 (est.)
January 26, 1700 Pacific Ocean, US, and Canada (then claimed by the Spanish Empire and the British Empire)1700 Cascadia earthquake8.7–9.2 (est.)
August 13, 1868 Arica, Chile (then Peru)1868 Arica earthquake8.5–9.3 (est.)
July 13, 869 Pacific Ocean, Tōhoku region, Japan869 Jōgan earthquake8.6–9.0 (est.)
November 26, 1852 Banda Islands, Indonesia (then part of the Dutch East Indies)1852 Banda Sea earthquake8.8 (est.)[38]
May 9, 1877 Iquique, Chile (then Peru)1877 Iquique earthquake8.7–8.9 (est.)
November 1, 1755 Atlantic Ocean, Lisbon, Portugal1755 Lisbon earthquake8.5–9.0 (est.)
October 20, 1687 Lima, Peru (then part of the Spanish Empire)1687 Peru earthquake8.7 (est.)
October 28, 17461746 Lima–Callao earthquake8.6–8.8 (est.)
April 2, 1762 Chittagong, Bangladesh (then Kingdom of Mrauk U)1762 Arakan earthquake8.5–8.8 (est.)
September 20, 1498 Pacific Ocean, Chūbu region, Japan1498 Meiō earthquake8.6 (est.)
March 28, 1787 Oaxaca, Mexico (then part of the Spanish Empire)1787 New Spain earthquake8.6 (est.)
February 2, 1816 Atlantic Ocean, Lisbon, Portugal1816 North Atlantic earthquake8.6 (est.)
July 21, 365 Mediterranean Sea, Crete, Greece365 Crete earthquake8.5+ (est.)
August 24, 1356 Atlantic Ocean, Lisbon, Portugal1356 Lisbon earthquake [pt]8.5 (est.)
June 6, 1505 Himalayas, northern Nepal1505 Lo Mustang earthquake8.2–8.8 (est.)
July 25, 1668 Shandong, China1668 Shandong earthquake8.5 (est.)[39]
May 24, 1751 Concepción, Chile (then part of the Spanish Empire)1751 Concepción earthquake8.5 (est.)
March 31, 1761 Atlantic Ocean, Lisbon, Portugal1761 Lisbon earthquake8.5 (est.)[40]
April 4, 1819 Copiapó, Chile1819 Copiapó earthquake8.5 (est.)[36]
November 19, 1822 Valparaíso, Chile1822 Valparaíso earthquake8.5 (est.)
February 20, 1835 Concepción, Chile1835 Concepción earthquake8.5 (est.)
February 8, 1843  Guadeloupe region, Lesser Antilles1843 Guadeloupe earthquake8.5 (est.)[41]
February 16, 1861 Sumatra, Indonesia (then part of the Dutch East Indies)1861 Sumatra earthquake8.5 (est.)
June 15, 1896 Pacific Ocean, Tōhoku region, Empire of Japan1896 Sanriku earthquake8.5 (est.)

Largest earthquakes by country/territory

  • This list is a work in progress. Information is likely to be changed.
  • The list refers to current country boundaries rather than those at the date of the earthquake.
  • Please note, multiple countries could have the same earthquake listed, such as the 1906 Ecuador–Colombia earthquake being listed for both Ecuador and Colombia.
  • Unless otherwise noted, magnitudes are reported on the Moment magnitude scale (Mw).
Country/TerritoryMagnitudeDateMore information
 Afghanistan7.8November 15, 1921[42]
 Albania6.7November 30, 1967[43]
 Algeria7.1October 10, 19801980 El Asnam earthquake
 American Samoa6.4October 11, 1944[44]
 Andorra6.7 MeFebruary 2, 14281428 Catalonia earthquake
 Angola6.0May 24, 1914[45]
 Anguilla6.3February 16, 1906[46]
Antarctica8.1March 25, 19981998 Balleny Islands earthquake
 Antigua and Barbuda8.0 MsApril 16, 1690[47]
 Argentina7.5November 23, 19771977 San Juan earthquake
 Armenia6.8 MsDecember 7, 19881988 Armenian earthquake
 Australia8.0May 23, 1989[48]
 Austria5.6–6.5September 15, 15901590 Neulengbach earthquake
 Azerbaijan7.0–7.3September 30, 11391139 Ganja earthquake
 Bangladesh8.5–8.8April 2, 17621762 Arakan earthquake
 Barbados6.5February 18, 2014 & July 16, 2015[49][50]
 Belgium6.0–6.5 MsSeptember 18, 16921692 Northwestern Europe earthquake
 Belize4.7 mbJune 28, 1985[51]
 Benin4.4 mbSeptember 11, 2009[52]
 Bhutan7.6–8.6May 4, 17141714 Bhutan earthquake
 Bolivia8.2June 9, 19941994 Bolivia earthquake
 Bosnia and Herzegovina6.1October 27, 19691969 Banja Luka earthquake
 Botswana6.7 MLOctober 11, 1952[53]
 Brazil7.6November 9, 1963[54]
 British Indian Ocean Territory7.3November 30, 19831983 Chagos Archipelago earthquake
 Brunei5.2 mbFebruary 22, 1992[55]
 Bulgaria7.2March 31, 1901 & April 4, 19041901 Black Sea earthquake & 1904 Kresna earthquakes
 Burundi5.4October 30, 1966[56]
 Cameroon5.9September 12, 1945[57]
 Canada8.7–9.2January 26, 17001700 Cascadia earthquake
 Cape Verde6.5August 15, 1941[58]
 Caribbean Netherlands5.2March 10, 2017[59]
 Cayman Islands7.7January 28, 20202020 Caribbean earthquake
 Central African Republic4.9 mbFebruary 6, 1994[60]
 Chile9.4–9.6May 22, 19601960 Valdivia earthquake
 China8.6August 15, 19501950 Assam–Tibet earthquake
 Cocos (Keeling) Islands7.9June 18, 2000[61]
 Colombia8.8January 31, 19061906 Ecuador–Colombia earthquake
 Comoros6.2August 23, 1918[62]
 Congo5.2April 26, 1998[63]
 Costa Rica7.7April 22, 19911991 Limon earthquake
 Croatia6.7July 2, 18981898 Trilj earthquake
 Cuba7.1February 20, 1917[64]
 Cyprus7.0–7.5May 11, 12221222 Cyprus earthquake
 Czech Republic4.8 MLDecember 23, 1985[65]
 Democratic Republic of the Congo6.9December 13, 1910[66]
 Denmark4.4 mbFebruary 19, 2010[67]
 Djibouti6.5August 20, 1989[68]
 Dominica6.4January 8, 1959[69]
 Dominican Republic7.8August 4, 19461946 Dominican Republic earthquake
 East Timor7.2September 29, 1905[70]
 Ecuador8.8January 31, 19061906 Ecuador–Colombia earthquake
 Egypt7.3November 22, 19951995 Gulf of Aqaba earthquake
 El Salvador8.0 MIDecember 19, 1862[71]
 Equatorial Guinea4.9 mbMarch 28, 1999[72]
 Eritrea6.6December 28, 1977[73]
 Estonia4.5–4.7 mbOctober 25, 1976Osmussaar earthquake
 Eswatini4.4 mbAugust 4, 1987[74]
 Ethiopia6.5August 25, 1906[75]
 Fiji8.2August 19, 20182018 Fiji earthquakes
 Finland4.7 MukNovember 4, 1898[76]
 France6.4–6.5 MukJanuary 25, 17991799 Vendée earthquake
 French Guiana6.9August 4, 1885[77]
 French Polynesia5.6March 6, 1965[78]
 Gabon6.0September 23, 1974[79]
 Georgia (country)7.0April 29, 19911991 Racha earthquake
 Germany6.4 MLFebruary 18, 17561756 Düren earthquake
 Ghana6.4June 22, 1939[80]
 Greece8.5+July 21, 365365 Crete earthquake
 Greenland7.4November 20, 19331933 Baffin Bay earthquake
 Grenada7.0 MsDecember 3, 1831[81]
 Guadeloupe8.5 MukFebruary 8, 18431843 Guadeloupe earthquake
 Guam7.8August 8, 19931993 Guam earthquake
 Guatemala7.7August 6, 19421942 Guatemala earthquake
 Guinea6.3December 22, 19831983 Guinea earthquake
 Guyana5.5January 31, 2021[82]
 Haiti8.1 MsMay 7, 18421842 Cap-Haïtien earthquake
 Honduras7.5January 10, 20182018 Swan Islands earthquake
 Hong Kong3.8 MLJanuary 5, 2020[83]
 Hungary6.2–6.5June 28, 17631763 Komárom earthquake
 Iceland7.0January 22, 1910[84]
 India8.6August 15, 19501950 Assam–Tibet earthquake
 Indonesia9.2–9.3December 26, 20042004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
 Iran7.9 MsDecember 22, 856856 Damghan earthquake
 Iraq7.0September 22, 1666[85]
 Ireland4.0 MLJune 6, 2012[86]
 Israel7.3December 5, 10331033 Jordan Rift Valley earthquake
 Italy7.4January 11, 16931693 Sicily earthquake
 Jamaica7.7January 28, 20202020 Caribbean earthquake
 Japan9.0–9.1March 11, 20112011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
 Jersey5.4July 30, 1926[87]
 Jordan7.3December 5, 10331033 Jordan Rift Valley earthquake
 Kazakhstan8.0July 11, 1889 & January 3, 19111889 Chilik earthquake & 1911 Kebin earthquake
 Kenya6.7January 6, 1928[88]
 Kiribati5.9 mbMay 23, 1982[89]
 Kosovo6.1 MLFebruary 26, 1755 & August 10, 1921[90]
 Kuwait4.7 mbJune 2, 1993 & November 11, 2020[91][92]
 Kyrgyzstan8.0July 11, 1889 & January 3, 19111889 Chilik earthquake & 1911 Kebin earthquake
 Laos6.7December 22, 1925[93]
 Lebanon7.5July 9, 551551 Beirut earthquake
 Liberia4.5 mbNovember 25, 1995[94]
 Libya6.8April 19, 1935[95]
 Liechtenstein3.6December 12, 2013[96]
 Luxembourg2.9 MLSeptember 3, 1986[97]
 Madagascar6.2July 4, 1919[98]
 Malawi6.3March 10, 19891989 Malawi earthquake
 Malaysia6.6August 11, 1923[99]
 Maldives7.4February 29, 1944[100]
 Mali4.2 mbJanuary 11, 1999[101]
 Malta5.5April 21, 2023[102]
 Marshall Islands5.7March 22, 1982[103]
 Martinique7.5–8.0January 11, 18391839 Martinique earthquake
 Mauritania4.6 mbSeptember 3, 1993 & March 1, 2012[104][105]
 Mauritius6.4June 19, 1976[106]
 Mayotte5.9May 15, 2018[107]
 Mexico8.6March 28, 17871787 New Spain earthquake
 Federated States of Micronesia7.8August 16, 1911[108]
 Moldova3.9 mbApril 2, 1988[109]
 Monaco6.3July 19, 1963[110]
 Mongolia8.3July 23, 19051905 Bolnai earthquake
 Montenegro6.9April 15, 19791979 Montenegro earthquake
 Morocco6.8November 27, 1755 & September 8, 20231755 Meknes earthquake & 2023 Al Haouz earthquake
 Mozambique7.0February 22, 20062006 Mozambique earthquake
 Myanmar8.5–8.8April 2, 17621762 Arakan earthquake
 Namibia5.4April 4, 2021[111]
   Nepal8.2–8.8June 6, 15051505 Lo Mustang earthquake
 Netherlands5.3April 13, 19921992 Roermond earthquake
 New Caledonia7.9August 9, 1901[112]
 New Zealand8.2January 23, 1855 & May 1, 19171855 Wairarapa earthquake[113]
 Nicaragua7.7September 2, 19921992 Nicaragua earthquake
 Niger4.6 mbJanuary 18, 2017[114]
 Nigeria4.5 mbMarch 7, 2000[115]
 North Korea7.7September 29, 1973[116]
 North Macedonia6.7March 8, 1931[117]
 Northern Mariana Islands7.7December 28, 1940 & July 29, 2016[118][119]
 Norway6.8August 30, 2012[120]
 Oman5.7March 30, 1966[121]
 Pakistan8.1November 28, 19451945 Balochistan earthquake
 Palau6.5May 31, 1982[122]
 Palestine7.3December 5, 10331033 Jordan Rift Valley earthquake
 Panama7.9–8.3 MsSeptember 7, 18821882 Panama earthquake
 Papua New Guinea8.2May 6, 1919[123]
 Paraguay6.5February 28, 1989[124]
 Peru (now part of present-day Chile)8.5–9.3August 13, 18681868 Arica earthquake
 Philippines8.3August 15, 19181918 Celebes Sea earthquake
 Poland5.6December 3, 1786[125]
 Portugal8.5–9.0November 1, 17551755 Lisbon earthquake
 Puerto Rico8.0May 2, 17871787 Boricua earthquake
 Réunion5.3 mbApril 5, 2007[126]
 Romania7.9October 26, 18021802 Vrancea earthquake
 Russia9.0–9.3October 16, 17371737 Kamchatka earthquake
 Rwanda5.9February 3, 20082008 Lake Kivu earthquake
 Saint Barthélemy5.4November 18, 1990[127]
 Saint Kitts and Nevis6.5March 16, 1985[128]
 Saint Lucia7.3March 19, 1953[129]
 Saint Martin5.0July 4, 2012[130]
 Saint Pierre and Miquelon7.2November 18, 19291929 Grand Banks earthquake
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines6.1July 6, 1940[131]
 Samoa8.3–8.5June 25, 19171917 Samoa earthquake
 São Tomé and Príncipe5.5December 19, 2019[132]
 Saudi Arabia7.3November 22, 19951995 Gulf of Aqaba earthquake
 Senegal5.5May 21, 1986[133]
 Serbia6.0May 15, 1927[134]
 Seychelles5.2 mbApril 28, 1995[135]
 Slovakia6.2–6.5June 28, 17631763 Komárom earthquake
 Slovenia6.1 MLApril 14, 18951895 Ljubljana earthquake
 Solomon Islands8.1April 1, 20072007 Solomon Islands earthquake
 Somalia6.0January 22, 1929[136]
 South Africa6.8December 31, 1932[137]
 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands8.1–8.3August 12, 20212021 South Sandwich Islands earthquakes
 South Korea7.5June 26, 16811681 Yangyang earthquake [ko]
 South Sudan7.2May 20, 19901990 South Sudan earthquakes
 Spain7.8March 29, 1954[138]
 Sri Lanka5.7August 30, 1973[139]
 Sudan6.0May 12, 1938[140]
  Switzerland6.0–7.1October 18, 13561356 Basel earthquake
 Syria7.6 MsMay 20, 12021202 Syria earthquake
 Taiwan8.2June 5, 19201920 Hualien earthquake
 Tajikistan7.5July 10, 19491949 Khait earthquake
 Tanzania7.0July 8, 1919[141]
 Thailand6.1May 5, 20142014 Mae Lao earthquake
 Tonga8.3–8.5June 25, 19171917 Samoa earthquake
 Trinidad and Tobago7.5 MfaJanuary 10, 1888[142]
 Tunisia7.2 or lessOctober 9, 859[143]
 Turkey7.8–8.0 MsAugust 17, 16681668 North Anatolia earthquake
 Turkmenistan8.2 MsJuly 7, 1895[144]
 Tuvalu5.4February 5, 1983[145]
 Uganda6.5June 30, 1952[146]
 Ukraine6.7September 11, 19271927 Crimean earthquakes
 United Arab Emirates5.0March 11, 2002[147]
 United Kingdom6.1 MLJune 7, 19311931 Dogger Bank earthquake
 United States9.2–9.3March 27, 19641964 Alaska earthquake
 U.S. Virgin Islands7.2November 18, 18671867 Virgin Islands earthquake and tsunami
 Uruguay5.5 MsJune 5, 18881888 Río de la Plata earthquake
 Uzbekistan7.4 MsOctober 21, 19071907 Qaratog earthquake
 Vanuatu8.1September 20, 1920[148]
 Venezuela7.6–7.7April 29, 1894 & October 29, 19001894 Venezuelan earthquake[149] & 1900 San Narciso earthquake
 Vietnam6.8November 1, 1935[150]
 Wallis and Futuna7.6May 23, 1956[151]
 Yemen6.7December 18, 1908[152]
 Zambia6.5May 1, 1919[153]
 Zimbabwe5.5September 25, 1963[154]

Costliest earthquakes

This is the top ten major earthquakes by the dollar value of property (public and private) losses directly attributable to the earthquake.

RankEventLocationMagnitudeProperty damage
12011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami Japan9.1$360 billion[155][156]
21995 Great Hanshin earthquake Japan6.9$200 billion[157]
32023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes Turkey
Syria
7.8$163.6 billion[158][159]
42008 Sichuan earthquake China7.9$150 billion[160]
52011 Christchurch earthquake New Zealand6.3$40 billion[161]
62004 Chūetsu earthquake Japan6.6$28 billion[162][163]
72011 Sikkim earthquake India6.9$22.3 billion[164]
81999 İzmit earthquake Turkey7.6$20 billion[162]
92009 L'Aquila earthquake Italy6.3$16 billion[165]
102012 Northern Italy earthquakes Italy6.1$15.8 billion[166]

Deadliest earthquakes

The following is a summary list of earthquakes with over approximately 100,000 deaths. The 893 Ardabil earthquake probably relate to the 893 Dvin earthquake, due to misreading of the Arabic word for Dvin, 'Dabil' as 'Ardabil'.[167] This is regarded as a 'fake earthquake'.[168]

+ Deadliest earthquakes[169]
RankEventDateLocationFatalitiesMagn­itudeNotes
11976 Tangshan earthquakeJuly 28, 1976 Hebei, China242,769–700,000+7.6Official casualty figure is 242,769 deaths. Estimated death toll as high as 655,000. 799,000 injured.[170][171]
21920 Haiyuan earthquakeDecember 16, 1920 NingxiaGansu, China273,4007.8Previously cited death toll was 230,000 and this figure was revised in 2010.[172][173]
3526 Antioch earthquakeMay 21, 526 Antioch, Byzantine Empire (modern-day Turkey)250,000[174]7.0[175]Procopius (II.14.6), sources based on John of Ephesus.
41139 Ganja earthquakeSeptember 30, 1139Ganja, Seljuk Empire (modern-day Azerbaijan)230,000–300,000[176]7.0 MwDeath toll may have been a historical conflation with earthquakes on November 1137 in the Jazira plain and the 1138 Aleppo earthquake.[177]
52004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamiDecember 26, 2004 Sumatra, Indonesia227,8989.1–9.3Death toll includes those missing and presumed dead.[176]
61138 Aleppo earthquakeOctober 11, 1138Aleppo, Seljuk Empire (modern-day Syria)130,000–230,000[178]7.1[178]The figure of 230,000 dead is based on a historical conflation of this earthquake with earthquakes in November 1137 on the Jazira plain and the 1139 Ganja earthquakein the Azerbaijani city of Ganja. The first mention of a 230,000 death toll was by Ibn Taghribirdi in the fifteenth century.[177]
72010 Haiti earthquakeJanuary 12, 2010 Haiti100,000–316,0007.0Estimates vary from 316,000 (Haitian government) to 222,570 (UN OCHA estimate)[179] to 158,000 (Medicine, Conflict and Survival) to between 85,000 and 46,000 (report commissioned by USAID).[180][181]
81303 Hongdong earthquakeJuly 25, 1303Shanxi, Yuan dynasty (modern-day China)200,000[182]8.0Taiyuan and Pingyang were leveled.
9856 Damghan earthquakeDecember 22, 856Damghan, Abbasid Caliphate (modern-day Iran)200,0007.9 Ms
10533 Aleppo earthquakeNovember 29, 533 Aleppo, Byzantine Empire (modern-day Syria)130,000[183]Unknown
111948 Ashgabat earthquakeOctober 6, 1948 Ashgabat, Turkmen SSR (modern-day Turkmenistan)110,0007.3 MsPreviously cited death toll was 10,000 until a news release on December 9, 1988 advised that the correct death toll was 110,000.[176]
121923 Great Kantō earthquakeSeptember 1, 1923 Kantō region, Japan105,385[184]7.9This earthquake with an epicenter beneath Izu Ōshima Island in Sagami Bay, shook the Kantō plain on the Japanese island of Honshū at 11:58 am. Shaking duration reported between 4 and 10 minutes, devastating Tokyo, Yokohama, Chiba, Kanagawa, and Shizuoka.[185] Shaking slid the 93-ton Great Buddha statue at Kamakura almost 2 feet (0.61 m) forward. Casualty estimates range from 100,000 to 142,800, the latter figure including ≈40,000 missing later presumed dead.
131556 Shaanxi earthquakeJanuary 23, 1556Shaanxi, China100,000+8.0Direct deaths thought to be just over 100,000 while about 730,000 people died from famines or migrated elsewhere.[186][187][188][189]
141290 Zhili earthquakeSeptember 27, 1290Ningcheng, Yuan dynasty (modern-day China)100,0006.8 MsEstimates also suggests lower values of at least 7,000.[190]

Most studied earthquakes

The 50 most studied earthquakes according to the International Seismological Centre (ISC), based on a count of scientific papers (mostly in English) that discuss that earthquake. The "Event #" is linked to the ISC Event Bibliography for that event.

RankEvent origin timeISC Event #PapersISC codeEvent
12011-03-11 05:46:23164612821992TOHOKU20112011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
22008-05-12 06:28:00132281211641WENCHUAN20082008 Sichuan earthquake
32004-12-26 00:58:527453151948SUMATRA20042004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
41999-09-20 17:47:161718616753CHI-CHI19991999 Jiji earthquake
51995-01-16 20:46:51124708536SHYOGO1995Great Hanshin earthquake
61994-01-17 12:30:54189275530NORTHRIDGE19941994 Northridge earthquake
72010-02-27 06:34:1314340585515MAULE20102010 Chile earthquake
82009-04-06 01:32:4213438018511LAQUILA20092009 L'Aquila earthquake
91989-10-18 00:04:14389808508LOMAPRIETA19891989 Loma Prieta earthquake
102015-04-25 06:11:26607208674488GORKHA2015April 2015 Nepal earthquake
111992-06-28 11:57:35289086429LANDERS19921992 Landers earthquake
121999-08-17 00:01:381655218415IZMIT19991999 İzmit earthquake
132016-04-15 16:25:06610289055339KUMAMOTO20162016 Kumamoto earthquakes
141964-03-28 03:36:13869809327ALASKA19641964 Alaska earthquake
152013-04-20 00:02:47607304721307LUSHAN20132013 Lushan earthquake
161960-05-22 19:11:20879136280VALDIVIA19601960 Valdivia earthquake
172010-09-03 16:35:4615155483251DARFIELD20102010 Canterbury earthquake
182001-01-26 03:16:401763683251BHUJ20012001 Gujarat earthquake
191985-09-19 13:17:50516095249MEXICOCITY19851985 Mexico City earthquake
202016-08-24 01:36:33611462212248AMATRICE2016August 2016 Central Italy earthquake
211971-02-09 14:00:40787038241SANFERNANDO19711971 San Fernando earthquake
221976-07-27 19:42:53711732232TANGSHAN19761976 Tangshan earthquake
232016-11-13 11:02:59615035032228KAIKOURA20162016 Kaikōura earthquake
242003-09-25 19:50:077134409221TOKACHI-OKI20032003 Tokachi earthquake
251980-11-23 18:34:52635924210IRPINIA19801980 Irpinia earthquake
262004-10-23 08:55:587421058203MID-NIIGATA20042004 Chūetsu earthquake
271976-05-06 20:00:12713583198FRIULI19761976 Friuli earthquake
282012-05-20 02:03:53601025379197EMILIA2012A2012 Northern Italy earthquakes
292011-02-21 23:51:4216168897197CHRISTCHURCH2011A2011 Christchurch earthquake
302019-07-06 03:19:55616203758194RIDGECREST2019B2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes
312005-03-28 16:09:357486110192NIAS20052005 Nias–Simeulue earthquake
322004-09-28 17:15:247406045191PARKFIELD2004Parkfield earthquake
332016-10-30 06:40:19609624987183NORCIA2016October 2016 Central Italy earthquakes
341999-10-16 09:46:451643776179HECTOR-MINE19991999 Hector Mine earthquake
352005-10-08 03:50:377703077171KASHMIR20052005 Kashmir earthquake
362001-11-14 09:26:122331800170KUNLUN20012001 Kunlun earthquake
371923-09-01 02:58:35911526170KANTO19231923 Great Kantō earthquake
382022-01-15 04:14:45621831271169HUNGATONGAHUNGAAPAI20222022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai eruption and tsunami
391979-10-15 23:16:57657282163IMPERIAL19791979 Imperial Valley earthquake
402015-09-16 22:54:30611531714161ILLAPEL20152015 Illapel earthquake
412002-11-03 22:12:416123395160DENALI20022002 Denali earthquake
421999-11-12 16:57:191650092159DUZCE19991999 Düzce earthquake
432014-04-01 23:46:47610102185154IQUIQUE20142014 Iquique earthquake
442010-01-12 21:53:1014226221153HAITI20102010 Haiti earthquake
452017-08-08 13:19:49610874246151JUIZHAIGOU20172017 Jinghe earthquake
461988-12-07 07:41:24417441151ARMENIA19881988 Armenian earthquake
472019-07-04 17:33:50616217956150RIDGECREST2019A2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes
482003-12-26 01:56:537217667145BAM20032003 Bam earthquake
492010-04-04 22:40:43600257057145EL-MAYOR-CUCAPAH20102010 Baja California earthquake
502012-05-29 07:00:04605482196144EMILIA2012B2012 Northern Italy earthquakes

Modified from figure 2, "The most studied events", at the ISC's Overview of the ISC Event Bibliography.

International Seismological Centre. Event Bibliography. Thatcham, United Kingdom. 2018.

See also

References

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