Deadliest Earthquakes in History
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Earthquake damage.
(Image credit: USGS)
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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.
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| Date | Location | Deaths | Magnitude | Comments |
| 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 | Row 4 - Cell 4 |
| 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 | Row 7 - Cell 4 |
| December 16, 1920 | China, Gansu | 200,000 | 8.6 | Major fractures, landslides. |
| March 23, 893 | Iran, Ardabil | 150,000 | Row 9 - Cell 3 | Row 9 - Cell 4 |
| September 1, 1923 | Japan, Kanto (Kwanto) | 143,000 | 7.9 | Great Tokyo fire. |
| October 5, 1948 | USSR (Turkmenistan, Ashgabat) | 110,000 | 7.3 | Row 11 - Cell 4 |
| 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 | Row 13 - Cell 4 |
| 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 | Row 16 - Cell 3 | Row 16 - Cell 4 |
| November 18, 1727 | Iran, Tabriz | 77,000 | n/a | Row 17 - Cell 4 |
| November 1, 1755 | Portugal, Lisbon | 70,000 | 8.7 | Great tsunami. |
| December 25, 1932 | China, Gansu | 70,000 | 7.6 | Row 19 - Cell 4 |
| May 31, 1970 | Peru | 66,000 | 7.9 | $530,000,000 damage, great rock slide, floods. |
| 1268 | Asia Minor, Silicia | 60,000 | n/a | Row 21 - Cell 4 |
| January 11, 1693 | Italy, Sicily | 60,000 | Row 22 - Cell 3 | Row 22 - Cell 4 |
| May 30, 1935 | Pakistan, Quetta | 30,000 to 60,000 | 7.5 | Quetta almost completely destroyed. |
| February 4, 1783 | Italy, Calabria | 50,000 | Row 24 - Cell 3 | Row 24 - Cell 4 |
| June 20, 1990 | Iran | 50,000 | 7.7 | Landslides. |
SOURCE: USGS
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