We have been recording earthquakes since the late 1800s. What are the most deadly earthquakes in our history?
Interestingly, the deadliest earthquakes are NOT the strongest earthquakes. Many of the strongest earthquakes resulted in no known fatalities at all, as they happen in unpopulated areas. The earthquakes that are minor, but hit a big city, are the ones that cause the most death.
1: 7.5 in Tangshan, China in 1976 - 655,000 people killed
2: 7.7 in Qinghai, China in 1927 - 200,000 people killed
3: 7.9 in Tokyo, Japan in 1923 - 143,000 people killed
4: 9.0 in Indonesia in 2004 - 135,000 people killed (last reported)
5: 6.9 in Messina, Italy in 1908 - 110,000 people killed
6: 8.3 in China in 1920 - 100,000 people killed
7: 7.6 in Gansu, China in 1932 - 70,000 people killed
8: 8.0 in Peru in 1970 - 54,000 people killed
9: 7.9 in Iran in 1990 - 50,000 people killed
10: 8.1 in Pakistan in 1935 - 30,000 people killed
In comparison the largest earthquake on record is:
9.2 in Chile in 1960 - 22,000 people killed