The largest earthquakes in history are: Japan's Kanto Earthquake, Nepal Earthquake, Indian Ocean Tsunami Earthquake, Haiti Earthquake, Chile Earthquake, Alaska Earthquake, New Zealand Earthquake, Lisbon Earthquake, Turkey Earthquake, and Pakistan Earthquake.
1. The Great Kanto Earthquake in Japan
The Great Kanto Earthquake in Japan was a strong earthquake that occurred on September 1, 1923, with a magnitude of 7.9. The earthquake killed 150,000 people and left more than 2 million people homeless. In this disaster, 100,000 people died in Yokohama, 4,300 of whom were missing, 100,000 were seriously injured, and about 1.5 million people were left homeless.
2. Nepal Earthquake
On April 25, 2015, an 8.1-magnitude earthquake occurred in Nepal, with a focal depth of 20 kilometers, causing complete damage to 513,400 buildings and 517,000 buildings. Buildings were partially destroyed, at least 8,786 people died and 22,303 were injured.
3. Indian Ocean Tsunami and Earthquake
On December 26, 2004, a tsunami occurred in the Indian Ocean. The tsunami caused by the earthquake struck 11 countries along the Indian Ocean, killing nearly 230,000 people. The tsunami caused serious casualties and property losses, and also triggered global attention on tsunami warning and response.
4. Haiti earthquake
The Haiti earthquake was the most serious earthquake since 1770, killing 222,500 people and injuring 196,000 people. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The local political situation is chaotic and serious looting and riots occurred after the earthquake. The Haitian Presidential Palace, Parliament Building, Port-au-Prince Cathedral, hospitals, prisons and other buildings were all damaged, and the death toll exceeded 3 million.
5. Chile Earthquake
The Chilean earthquake measured 8.9 on the Richter scale. This earthquake triggered a tsunami and a volcanic eruption, killing 5,000 people and leaving 2 million people homeless.
6. Alaska Earthquake
On March 28, 1964, a 9.2-magnitude earthquake occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska, causing great damage. The tsunami after the earthquake killed 128 people. At 14:12 on July 22, 2020, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake occurred in the waters south of Alaska, USA. Fortunately, because the source of the earthquake was located near the Arctic Circle and the local population was sparsely populated, this strong earthquake did not cause any casualties.
7. New Zealand earthquakes
Because New Zealand is located in the Pacific Seismic Belt, affected by the interaction of the two plates, seismic activity is very frequent, and 80% of the world's earthquakes occur here every year. It is located in the Pacific Rim Seismic Belt, so it is known as "Switzerland on Earth". New Zealand's geographical location and geological structure are very special, and it is one of the areas with the most frequent seismic activity in the world.
8. The Great Lisbon Earthquake
The Great Lisbon Earthquake is one of the largest earthquakes in European history. It occurred at 9:40 am on November 1, 1755. The earthquake killed and disabled more than 100,000 people and had a profound impact on the local economy and society. The Lisbon earthquake also attracted attention and assistance from the international community, and many countries and organizations provided assistance and support to Lisbon.
9. Turkey Earthquake
The Turkey Earthquake was a strong earthquake that occurred in southeastern Turkey on February 6, 2023, with a magnitude of 7.8. After the earthquake, many cities and regions were forced to close and thousands of people were trapped. The earthquake also caused widespread power outages and communications disruptions. According to reports, the earthquake was one of the deadliest in Türkiye's history.
10. Pakistan Earthquake
The Pakistan Earthquake was a major earthquake that occurred in Kashmir on January 19, 2011, causing more than 80,000 deaths and numerous casualties. The earthquake was one of the worst in the world and had a huge impact on the economy and people's lives in Pakistan and neighboring countries.