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.
| 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 | |
| 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. |
SOURCE: USGS