11 Biggest Earthquakes around the World

Today we take a look at 11 biggest earthquakes around the world. These are some of the worst killers in human history. Five of them are listed among ten worst natural disasters ever by number of casualties. Some areas are more prone to them than others due to their geological features. You can find out which on our list of 11 countries with most earthquakes.

Throughout history, people have been exposed to the devastating forces of earthquakes. Only in the last hundred years or so have we managed to develop technology that would limit the destructive force earthquakes unleash upon us by creating buildings that are able to stand up to them. But even then, they manage to inflict catastrophic damage through indirect means. The best example is 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and Fukushima disaster. The nuclear power plant withstood magnitude 9.0 earthquake with only minor damage, only to have its emergency generators that provided power for reactor cooling system disabled by ensuing tsunami. The resulting core meltdowns represent one of the worst nuclear disasters in our history. Even though the plant itself was built to withstand an earthquake, even the one as powerful as Tōhoku earthquake has been, the damage was done nevertheless.

Not everyone can afford earthquake resistant buildings.  This is best illustrated by a comparison of two earthquakes that happened in 2010, in Haiti and Chile. Haiti capital Port-au-Prince was left almost completely destroyed, with a death toll estimated to be 160,000. Chilean earthquake, on the other hand, was 500 times stronger (magnitude 7 for Haiti to 8.9 for Chile). 550 people were killed. While some of the massive difference in death count can be explained by the geological characteristics, the main reasons that Chile did so well compared to Haiti are manmade. Strict building regulations, emergency response and experience are the factors that helped Chile survive one of the biggest earthquakes in history. Much smaller quake left Haiti in ruins and killed 15% of its population.

Let’s see what other countries have suffered from 11 biggest earthquakes around the world by human casualties.

11. 2010 Haiti earthquake

Number of casualties: 160,000

Haiti was completely unprepared for the horrors nature unleashed on the small island in the afternoon of Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The poorest country in the Western hemisphere was completely dependent of foreign aid in the aftermath of magnitude 7 earthquake that obliterated nation’s capital and surrounding region.

10. 1780 Tabriz earthquake

One of the largest commercial centers in Persia (currently Iran), Tabriz was hit with a major earthquake on January 8, 1780. The death toll was estimated to 200,000 dead. Persian was at the time undergoing a power struggle between heirs of Karim Khan for the throne and no help was sent to the devastated city. It was reduced to less than 30,000 inhabitants.

9. 856 Damghan earthquake

In 865 Damghan was the center of Qumis province, a part of Abbasid Caliphate. On December 22^nd, an earthquake of magnitude 7.9 destroyed half of the town, killing 50,000 inhabitants. Towns and villages along Shahrud fault system as far as 350 km from the epicenter were damaged. Total death count is estimated to be 200,000 dead.

8. 1303 Hongdong earthquake

On September 25^th,  1303, the second most deadly earthquake in Shanxi province of China hit Hongdong county. It is one of the least documented earthquakes of this magnitude in history, and apart from the death toll (around 200,000) we don’t know much about it.

7. 1138 Aleppo earthquake

The first of three Syrian earthquakes on our list of 11 biggest earthquakes around the world happened on October 11^th, 1138. Citizens of Aleppo were warned by a foreshock and have fled the city before it collapsed around them. Nearby settlements weren’t so lucky. Harem, important fortress held by Crusaders was completely destroyed. It was estimated that some 230,000 people were killed in total.

6. 115 Antioch earthquake

In 115 Roman Emperor Trajan was at war with Parthia. He was spending the winter in Antioch, preparing for the spring campaign when on December 13^th magnitude 7.9 earthquake hit the area. Emperor barely escaped with his life, but 260,000 people, including one of the Roman consuls, weren’t so lucky.  Both Trajan and his successor Hadrian rebuilt Antioch after the earthquake.

5. 526 Antioch earthquake

Some 400 years later, another disaster struck Antioch. The earthquake happened in the middle of the night, when people were asleep. The timing and the ensuing fire contributed greatly to the huge death toll, which is estimated to be between 250,000 and 300,000. Again, an emperor came to Antioch’s help, this time Justin I, Emperor of Byzantium, which ruled Syria at the time.

4. 1920 Haiyuan earthquake

On December 16^th, 1920, magnitude 7.9 earthquake shook the Chinese province of Gansu. It was labeled XII – the maximum intensity on Mercalli scale and it caused total destruction of several cities.  It was so powerful that it caused seiches on lakes in Norway. 273,400 people died in quake, but it is estimated that as much as that has perished in the aftermath due, to the harsh winter. People were so afraid of another tremor that they refused to build solid shelters. Instead, they froze to death.

3. 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake

58 minutes past midnight on December 26^th, the entire planet was shaken by one of the strongest earthquakes in history. With a magnitude of 9.3 and duration of 10 minutes – the longest duration ever recorded – it send Tsunami waves of up to 30 meters (100 feet) at speeds in excess of 600 miles per hour towards the densely inhabited coast of Indian Ocean countries. Indonesia was hit the hardest, together with India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Due to the lack of Tsunami warning system in Indian Ocean, people on shore were taken by surprise once the monstrous wave slammed into the land, killing the total of 280,000 people in 15 affected countries. The entire world came together and donated more than $14 billion in aid to help survivors rebuild.

2. 1976 Tangshan earthquake

The biggest earthquake by death toll in 20^th century happened in Tangshan on July 26^th 1976. One of the largest cities in Chinese Hebei province, Tangshan had over one million inhabitants at the time. About one quarter of them died in the quake. The total number of casualties is estimated on 650,000 dead. The Chinese government, more preoccupied with precarious political situation (Mao Zedong was seriously ill and died less than two months after the earthquake) refused all offers of international aid, which only compounded the problem for survivors.

1. 1556 Shaanxi earthquake

Number one on our list of 11 biggest earthquakes around the world happened on January 23rd,  1556 in Shanxi, one of the Chinese provinces most prone to geological disasters and also one of most densely populated. Several towns were completely destroyed, with 60% of the entire population of the region killed. The death toll is estimated to be 830,000.