Key Takeaways
- The largest earthquake ever recorded was the 1960 Valdivia, Chile earthquake at M9.5, which triggered a tsunami that crossed the Pacific Ocean and killed approximately 1,655 people in Chile alone.
- The deadliest earthquake in recorded history was the 1556 Shaanxi, China earthquake, which killed an estimated 830,000 people — most of whom lived in yaodong cave dwellings carved into loess cliffs that collapsed during shaking.
- The largest earthquakes by magnitude and the deadliest earthquakes are rarely the same events. Magnitude measures energy release; death tolls depend on population density, building construction, depth, time of day, and secondary hazards like tsunamis and fires.
- Of the 20 largest recorded earthquakes, all occurred on subduction zone megathrust faults. Of the 20 deadliest, most struck densely populated regions with vulnerable building stock.
- Since 1900, earthquakes have killed more than 2 million people worldwide. The 21st century alone has seen catastrophic events in Haiti (2010), the Indian Ocean (2004), Sichuan (2008), and Pakistan (2005).
Introduction
Earthquakes have shaped human civilization for millennia, destroying cities, redirecting rivers, and rewriting coastlines. The seismic record — both instrumental and historical — reveals two distinct but overlapping stories: the story of sheer energy release, measured by magnitude, and the story of human loss, measured in lives.
These are fundamentally different rankings. The most powerful earthquakes tend to occur along remote subduction zones where oceanic plates dive beneath continental plates, generating staggering amounts of energy but often far from major population centers. The deadliest earthquakes, by contrast, frequently strike densely populated regions where unreinforced masonry, adobe, and other vulnerable construction types amplify shaking into catastrophe. A magnitude 6.5 earthquake beneath a crowded city built on soft sediment can kill far more people than a magnitude 9.0 in an unpopulated stretch of ocean floor.
Understanding both lists — and why they diverge — is essential to understanding earthquake risk. This article presents the complete record of the largest and deadliest earthquakes in history, with verified data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and peer-reviewed seismological research.
For a deeper understanding of how earthquake size is measured, see our guide to earthquake magnitude scales. To learn about the tectonic processes that generate these events, see what causes earthquakes.
The 20 Largest Earthquakes Ever Recorded (by Magnitude)
The instrumental seismological record begins around 1900 with the deployment of the first standardized seismograph networks. Before that date, magnitude estimates are derived from historical accounts, geological evidence, and paleoseismological studies, and carry greater uncertainty. Every earthquake on this list occurred on a subduction zone megathrust fault — the only fault type capable of producing M9+ events due to the enormous rupture areas involved.
Table 1: 20 Largest Earthquakes by Magnitude (Instrumental Era, 1900–Present)
| Rank | Date | Location | Magnitude | Deaths (Est.) | Tsunami? | Rupture Length (km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 22, 1960 | Valdivia, Chile | 9.5 | ~1,655 | Yes | ~1,000 |
| 2 | Mar 27, 1964 | Prince William Sound, Alaska | 9.2 | 131 | Yes | ~800 |
| 3 | Dec 26, 2004 | Off west coast of northern Sumatra | 9.1 | ~228,000 | Yes | ~1,300 |
| 4 | Mar 11, 2011 | Tōhoku, Japan | 9.1 | ~19,759 | Yes | ~500 |
| 5 | Nov 4, 1952 | Kamchatka, Russia | 9.0 | ~10,000–15,000 | Yes | ~600 |
| 6 | Feb 27, 2010 | Offshore Bio-Bio, Chile | 8.8 | 525 | Yes | ~500 |
| 7 | Jan 31, 1906 | Off coast of Ecuador | 8.8 | 500–1,500 | Yes | ~500 |
| 8 | Feb 4, 1965 | Rat Islands, Alaska | 8.7 | 0 | Yes | ~600 |
| 9 | Mar 28, 2005 | Northern Sumatra, Indonesia | 8.6 | 1,313 | Yes | ~300 |
| 10 | Aug 15, 1950 | Assam, India–Tibet | 8.6 | 780 | No | ~250 |
| 11 | Nov 11, 2012 | Off coast of Guatemala | 7.4* | 44 | Yes | ~150 |
| 12 | Mar 9, 1957 | Andreanof Islands, Alaska | 8.6 | 0 | Yes | ~600 |
| 13 | Apr 11, 2012 | Off west coast of northern Sumatra | 8.6 | 10 | No | ~200 |
| 14 | Aug 13, 1868 | Arica, Peru (now Chile) | 8.5–9.0† | ~25,000 | Yes | ~600 |
| 15 | Jan 26, 1700 | Cascadia subduction zone | ~9.0† | Unknown | Yes | ~1,000 |
| 16 | Oct 13, 1963 | Kuril Islands, Russia | 8.5 | 0 | Yes | ~250 |
| 17 | Feb 1, 1938 | Banda Sea, Indonesia | 8.5 | 0 | Yes | Unknown |
| 18 | Nov 15, 2006 | Kuril Islands, Russia | 8.3 | 0 | Yes | ~200 |
| 19 | Sep 12, 2007 | Southern Sumatra, Indonesia | 8.5 | 25 | Yes | ~300 |
| 20 | Oct 4, 1994 | Kuril Islands, Russia | 8.3 | 0 | Yes | ~200 |
Note: Ranks 11–20 reflect USGS data and include pre-instrumental estimates (†) with wider uncertainty ranges. The 1700 Cascadia event is included based on Japanese tsunami records and paleoseismic evidence.
USGS Largest Earthquakes in the World
Key Observations
Every earthquake in the top 10 occurred along a subduction zone — the Nazca-South American plate boundary (Chile), the Pacific-North American plate boundary (Alaska), the Indo-Australian–Eurasian plate boundary (Sumatra), and the Pacific-Okhotsk plate boundary (Japan and Kamchatka). These boundaries accommodate enormous strain over rupture lengths of hundreds to more than 1,000 kilometers. No strike-slip fault or normal fault has produced a recorded earthquake above approximately M8.5, because their rupture geometries cannot sustain the enormous slip areas required.
The relationship between rupture length and magnitude is fundamental. The 1960 Chile earthquake ruptured approximately 1,000 km of the Nazca-South American plate interface. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake ruptured roughly 1,300 km of the Sunda megathrust. These enormous rupture dimensions are what make M9+ earthquakes possible.
For more on how subduction zones generate the world's largest earthquakes, see what causes earthquakes and the Ring of Fire.
The 20 Deadliest Earthquakes in Recorded History
The deadliest earthquakes tell a different story — one dominated not by tectonic energy but by human vulnerability. Unreinforced masonry, adobe construction, high population density, and secondary hazards like tsunamis, landslides, and fires are the primary killers.
Table 2: 20 Deadliest Earthquakes in Recorded History
| Rank | Date | Location | Magnitude | Estimated Death Toll | Primary Cause of Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 23, 1556 | Shaanxi, China | ~8.0 | ~830,000 | Collapse of loess cave dwellings (yaodongs) |
| 2 | Jul 28, 1976 | Tangshan, China | 7.5 | 242,000–655,000 | Building collapse; nighttime event |
| 3 | Dec 26, 2004 | Indian Ocean (Sumatra) | 9.1 | ~228,000 | Tsunami across 14 countries |
| 4 | Jan 12, 2010 | Haiti | 7.0 | 100,000–316,000 | Unreinforced concrete block collapse |
| 5 | Dec 16, 1920 | Haiyuan, Ningxia, China | 7.8 | ~200,000 | Landslides; loess collapse |
| 6 | Sep 1, 1923 | Kantō, Japan | 7.9 | ~105,000 | Firestorm; building collapse |
| 7 | Oct 8, 2005 | Kashmir, Pakistan | 7.6 | ~87,351 | Building collapse; landslides |
| 8 | May 12, 2008 | Sichuan, China | 7.9 | ~87,587 | Building collapse; landslides |
| 9 | Dec 28, 1908 | Messina, Italy | 7.1 | 72,000–100,000 | Building collapse; tsunami |
| 10 | Oct 5, 1948 | Ashgabat, Turkmenistan | 7.3 | ~110,000 | Adobe and masonry collapse |
| 11 | Sep 1, 1290 | Chihli, China | ~6.7 | ~100,000 | Building collapse |
| 12 | May 22, 1927 | Gulang, Gansu, China | 7.6 | ~40,900 | Building and landslide |
| 13 | Dec 25, 1932 | Changma, Gansu, China | 7.6 | ~70,000 | Building collapse |
| 14 | Nov 1, 1755 | Lisbon, Portugal | ~8.5 | ~50,000–70,000 | Tsunami; fire; building collapse |
| 15 | Jun 20, 1990 | Manjil-Rudbar, Iran | 7.4 | ~40,000 | Adobe and masonry collapse |
| 16 | May 30, 1935 | Quetta, Balochistan (Pakistan) | 7.7 | ~30,000–60,000 | Building collapse |
| 17 | Feb 4, 1783 | Calabria, Italy | ~6.9 | ~50,000 | Building collapse; landslides |
| 18 | Jan 11, 1693 | Sicily, Italy | ~7.4 | ~60,000 | Building collapse; tsunami |
| 19 | Oct 11, 1737 | Calcutta, India | Unknown | ~300,000† | Likely cyclone, not earthquake |
| 20 | Dec 22, 1856 | Basilicata, Italy | ~6.5 | Unknown | Building collapse |
†The 1737 Calcutta event has been reassessed by modern seismologists (Bilham, 1994) as likely a cyclone rather than an earthquake. Historical death toll claims are unreliable. It is included here because it still appears in many historical lists.
Sources: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program; NOAA National Geophysical Data Center; Utsu (2002) "A List of Deadly Earthquakes in the World"; Bilham (2009) "The Seismic Future of Cities."
Key Observations
Several patterns emerge from the deadliest earthquake list:
China dominates the death toll record. Seven of the 20 deadliest earthquakes struck China, reflecting a combination of high population density, historical prevalence of vulnerable building types (particularly loess cave dwellings and unreinforced masonry), and the seismic activity of the Tibetan Plateau margin and northern China.
Magnitude is a poor predictor of death toll. The 2010 Haiti earthquake (M7.0) killed an estimated 100,000 to 316,000 people. The 1964 Alaska earthquake (M9.2) killed 131. The difference is population density, building quality, and secondary hazards — not seismic energy. For a detailed examination of the Haiti disaster, see the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Secondary hazards often kill more than shaking. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was responsible for the vast majority of the ~228,000 deaths. The 1923 Kantō earthquake killed most of its victims through fire, not building collapse. The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake killed so many because the population lived in cave dwellings carved into unstable loess cliffs. To learn more about earthquake-triggered tsunamis, see earthquakes and tsunamis.
Nighttime earthquakes are more deadly. People are more vulnerable when asleep indoors. The 1976 Tangshan earthquake struck at 3:42 AM local time. The 1994 Northridge earthquake struck at 4:31 AM. For more on the Northridge event, see the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
Why the Largest and Deadliest Earthquakes Are Rarely the Same
The disconnect between magnitude and death toll is one of the most important concepts in earthquake science and risk management. It arises from several factors:
Location and Population Density
The largest earthquakes (M8.5+) occur exclusively on subduction zone megathrust faults, which are typically located offshore or in sparsely populated regions. The Aleutian Islands, Kamchatka, and the deep-sea trenches off South America's west coast produce enormous earthquakes but are far from major population centers. By contrast, some of the deadliest earthquakes occur on moderate-sized faults directly beneath or adjacent to cities.
Depth
Shallow earthquakes (less than 20 km deep) produce more intense shaking at the surface than deep earthquakes of the same magnitude. The 2010 Haiti earthquake was approximately 13 km deep, placing the rupture almost directly beneath Port-au-Prince. Deep earthquakes, even very large ones, may produce less damaging surface shaking because seismic waves attenuate over the greater distance to the surface.
Building Construction Quality
The single largest determinant of earthquake fatalities is building construction. Countries with modern seismic building codes — Japan, Chile, New Zealand, the United States — experience far fewer deaths per unit of shaking than countries where unreinforced masonry, adobe, and non-engineered concrete are prevalent. Japan's M9.1 Tōhoku earthquake in 2011 caused roughly 19,759 deaths — almost entirely from the subsequent tsunami, not building collapse. By contrast, Haiti's M7.0 earthquake in 2010 killed an estimated 100,000 to 316,000 people primarily through building collapse.
To learn about how building construction affects earthquake risk, see soft-story retrofit information and earthquake preparedness.
Secondary Hazards
Tsunamis, landslides, fires, and liquefaction can each independently cause more deaths than the shaking itself. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake generated a tsunami that killed people across 14 countries. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake (M7.9, ~3,000 deaths, 477 km rupture) is remembered primarily for the fire that followed, which destroyed 80% of the city. For more on the San Francisco earthquake, see the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
Time of Day
Nighttime earthquakes tend to be more deadly because people are asleep inside buildings. Daytime earthquakes, when more people are outdoors or in commercial structures (which in many countries are built to higher standards than residential structures), tend to produce lower death tolls.
Chart Spec: Magnitude vs. Death Toll
Chart Type: Scatter plot X-axis: Moment magnitude (6.5–9.5) Y-axis: Death toll (log scale, 100–1,000,000) Data points: All 20 deadliest earthquakes and all 20 largest earthquakes (with overlap where applicable) Color coding: Red for deadliest list, blue for largest list, purple for events on both lists Key annotation: Label the 1556 Shaanxi (M~8.0, 830,000 deaths), 2004 Indian Ocean (M9.1, 228,000), 1960 Chile (M9.5, 1,655), and 2010 Haiti (M7.0, 100,000–316,000) to illustrate the disconnect between magnitude and fatalities. Trend line: Show that there is no strong positive correlation between magnitude and death toll, reinforcing that human factors dominate casualty outcomes.
Map Spec: Global Distribution of Major Earthquakes
Map Type: World map with plate boundaries shown Data layers:
- Red markers: 20 deadliest earthquakes (sized by death toll)
- Blue markers: 20 largest earthquakes (sized by magnitude)
- Plate boundaries: Major subduction zones highlighted in yellow, transform faults in gray Key features to annotate:
- Pacific Ring of Fire
- Alpine-Himalayan seismic belt
- Sunda megathrust
- Nazca-South American subduction zone
- Cascadia subduction zone Note: The map should clearly show that the blue markers (largest) cluster along subduction zones, while red markers (deadliest) cluster in continental interiors and near population centers.
Brief Narratives: The Top 10 Largest Earthquakes
1. 1960 Valdivia, Chile — M9.5
The largest earthquake in recorded history struck southern Chile on May 22, 1960, rupturing approximately 1,000 km of the Nazca-South American plate boundary. The earthquake generated a Pacific-wide tsunami that reached Hawaii (61 deaths), Japan (138 deaths), and the Philippines (32 deaths). In Chile, the earthquake and tsunami killed approximately 1,655 people and left 2 million homeless. The event demonstrated that megathrust earthquakes can produce trans-oceanic tsunamis affecting coastlines thousands of kilometers away.
2. 1964 Prince William Sound, Alaska — M9.2
On March 27, 1964 (Good Friday), the second-largest recorded earthquake struck south-central Alaska. The Pacific plate ruptured along approximately 800 km of the megathrust beneath Prince William Sound. The earthquake generated a devastating local tsunami in several Alaskan fjords, where wave run-up exceeded 30 meters in some locations. In total, 131 people died — 122 from tsunamis and 9 from the earthquake itself. The event led directly to the establishment of the National Tsunami Warning Center.
3. 2004 Indian Ocean — M9.1
The third-largest recorded earthquake ruptured ~1,300 km of the Sunda megathrust on December 26, 2004, generating a catastrophic tsunami that killed approximately 228,000 people across 14 countries. It was the deadliest tsunami in recorded history and led to the establishment of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System. For the full account, see the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.
4. 2011 Tōhoku, Japan — M9.1
On March 11, 2011, a M9.1 earthquake off the northeast coast of Japan generated a tsunami with run-up heights exceeding 40 meters in some locations. The tsunami overwhelmed seawalls, destroyed coastal towns, and triggered the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster — the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl. Approximately 19,759 people died. Japan's advanced seismic building codes meant that very few buildings collapsed from shaking alone; the tsunami was responsible for the overwhelming majority of deaths. For more information, see the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
5. 1952 Kamchatka, Russia — M9.0
A massive earthquake off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula on November 4, 1952 generated tsunamis that struck Hawaii and caused damage across the Pacific. Casualty estimates for the immediate region range from 10,000 to 15,000, though reliable records from the Soviet era are limited. The event demonstrated the seismic potential of the Kuril-Kamchatka subduction zone.
6. 2010 Maule, Chile — M8.8
On February 27, 2010, a M8.8 earthquake struck offshore of central Chile, making it the sixth-largest recorded earthquake. Despite its enormous magnitude, Chile's strong building codes — developed after the devastating 1960 event — limited the death toll to 525. The earthquake generated a tsunami that caused significant coastal damage. The relatively low death toll for such a large event is a testament to the effectiveness of earthquake-resistant construction and preparedness.
7. 1906 Ecuador — M8.8
A M8.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Ecuador on January 31, 1906, generating a tsunami that affected the coastlines of Central and South America. Between 500 and 1,500 people were killed. The event ruptured the Ecuador-Colombia segment of the Nazca-South American plate boundary.
8. 1965 Rat Islands, Alaska — M8.7
On February 4, 1965, a M8.7 earthquake struck the uninhabited Rat Islands in the western Aleutian chain. A tsunami was generated but caused no deaths due to the remote location. The event contributed to scientific understanding of the Aleutian subduction zone.
9. 2005 Northern Sumatra — M8.6
Three months after the devastating 2004 event, a M8.6 earthquake struck the Sunda megathrust further south along Sumatra on March 28, 2005. This earthquake killed 1,313 people, primarily on Nias Island. Seismologists believe it was triggered by stress changes from the 2004 rupture.
10. 1950 Assam-Tibet — M8.6
On August 15, 1950, one of the largest continental earthquakes in recorded history struck the India-Eurasia plate boundary in Assam (India) and Tibet. The earthquake killed 780 people and triggered massive landslides that dammed rivers, creating flood hazards for months afterward. It remains one of the few M8.5+ earthquakes to occur outside a subduction zone, instead rupturing along the complex India-Eurasia collision zone.
Brief Narratives: The Top 10 Deadliest Earthquakes
1. 1556 Shaanxi, China — ~830,000 Dead
The deadliest earthquake in recorded history struck Shaanxi Province on January 23, 1556. The estimated magnitude of approximately 8.0 produced catastrophic shaking across the Wei River valley, where a large population lived in yaodong — cave dwellings carved into loess (wind-deposited silt) cliffs. These cliffs collapsed en masse, burying entire communities. The death toll of approximately 830,000, recorded in Ming dynasty annals, represents the single greatest loss of life from any earthquake in history.
2. 1976 Tangshan, China — 242,000–655,000 Dead
At 3:42 AM on July 28, 1976, a M7.5 earthquake struck directly beneath the industrial city of Tangshan, which had a population of approximately 1 million. Nearly every building in the city collapsed. The official Chinese government death toll was 242,000, though some estimates place the figure as high as 655,000. The earthquake occurred during the Cultural Revolution, when building standards and emergency response had deteriorated. The city was completely rebuilt.
3. 2004 Indian Ocean — ~228,000 Dead
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami killed approximately 228,000 people across 14 countries, making it the deadliest tsunami disaster in recorded history. Indonesia suffered the greatest losses, with an estimated 167,540 deaths. For the complete account, see the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.
4. 2010 Haiti — 100,000–316,000 Dead
On January 12, 2010, a M7.0 earthquake struck 25 km west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, at a shallow depth of approximately 13 km. The combination of shallow depth, proximity to a major population center, and extremely vulnerable building stock produced catastrophic results. Death toll estimates range widely — an estimated 100,000 to 316,000 — reflecting the difficulty of counting casualties in a country with limited infrastructure. For more details, see the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
5. 1920 Haiyuan, China — ~200,000 Dead
On December 16, 1920, a M7.8 earthquake struck Haiyuan County in the Ningxia province of China. The earthquake triggered massive landslides in the loess terrain, burying villages. River damming caused secondary flooding. Approximately 200,000 people died in what remains one of the most devastating earthquake-landslide events in history.
6. 1923 Kantō, Japan — ~105,000 Dead
The Great Kantō Earthquake of September 1, 1923 (M7.9) struck the Tokyo-Yokohama region at 11:58 AM — lunchtime, when many cooking fires were burning. The fires spread rapidly through the largely wooden urban landscape, merging into firestorms that caused far more deaths than the shaking itself. Approximately 105,000 people died. The disaster led to fundamental changes in Japanese building codes and urban planning, beginning Japan's transformation into one of the world's most earthquake-resilient nations.
7. 2005 Kashmir, Pakistan — ~87,351 Dead
On October 8, 2005, a M7.6 earthquake struck the mountainous Kashmir region of Pakistan and India. The earthquake destroyed entire hillside towns, with Balakot and Muzaffarabad among the worst hit. Approximately 87,351 people died and 3.5 million were left homeless in a region where access was already limited by rugged terrain. The disaster highlighted the extreme vulnerability of communities in seismically active mountain regions.
8. 2008 Sichuan, China — ~87,587 Dead
The May 12, 2008 Wenchuan earthquake (M7.9) struck Sichuan Province at 2:28 PM local time. Approximately 87,587 people were killed, including thousands of schoolchildren in collapsed buildings — a tragedy that prompted intense public scrutiny of building construction quality in China (the so-called "tofu-dreg schoolhouses" controversy). For more details, see the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
9. 1908 Messina, Italy — 72,000–100,000 Dead
On December 28, 1908, a M7.1 earthquake struck the Strait of Messina between Sicily and mainland Italy, followed by a tsunami with waves up to 12 meters. The city of Messina was almost completely destroyed, and Reggio Calabria was severely damaged. Between 72,000 and 100,000 people died, making it the deadliest earthquake in European history.
10. 1948 Ashgabat, Turkmenistan — ~110,000 Dead
On October 5, 1948, a M7.3 earthquake struck the Soviet city of Ashgabat, destroying virtually all adobe and brick buildings. The Soviet government suppressed information about the disaster for decades. The true death toll, estimated at approximately 110,000, was not publicly acknowledged until the post-Soviet era. The event underscores how building construction quality — in this case, unreinforced adobe and brick — determines earthquake lethality.
Table 3: Deadliest Earthquakes by Century (20th and 21st)
| Decade | Notable Events | Estimated Combined Death Toll |
|---|---|---|
| 1900–1909 | 1906 San Francisco (USA); 1908 Messina (Italy) | ~175,000 |
| 1910–1919 | 1915 Avezzano (Italy) | ~32,000 |
| 1920–1929 | 1920 Haiyuan (China); 1923 Kantō (Japan) | ~320,000 |
| 1930–1939 | 1935 Quetta (Pakistan); 1932 Changma (China) | ~130,000 |
| 1940–1949 | 1948 Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) | ~115,000 |
| 1950–1959 | 1950 Assam (India); 1960 Chile (just outside decade) | ~4,000 |
| 1960–1969 | 1960 Chile; 1968 Iran | ~17,000 |
| 1970–1979 | 1976 Tangshan (China); 1970 Peru | ~310,000–700,000 |
| 1980–1989 | 1988 Spitak (Armenia) | ~30,000 |
| 1990–1999 | 1990 Iran; 1999 Izmit (Turkey) | ~70,000 |
| 2000–2009 | 2004 Indian Ocean; 2005 Pakistan; 2008 Sichuan; 2010 Haiti | ~630,000–830,000 |
| 2010–2019 | 2010 Haiti; 2011 Tōhoku (Japan); 2015 Nepal | ~40,000–350,000 |
| 2020–2029* | 2023 Turkey-Syria | ~59,000+ |
Decade in progress. Turkey-Syria earthquake of February 6, 2023 (M7.8 and M7.5 doublet) is the deadliest event so far.
The Modern Seismic Risk Landscape
The 21st century has already produced some of the deadliest earthquakes in recorded history. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake sequence have demonstrated that earthquake risk remains a critical threat, particularly in developing nations with vulnerable building stock.
However, the record also shows that earthquake preparedness works. Chile's 2010 M8.8 earthquake killed 525 people — a remarkable outcome for an earthquake of that magnitude, reflecting decades of investment in seismic building codes following the 1960 disaster. Japan's 2011 M9.1 Tōhoku earthquake caused very few deaths from structural collapse, despite being the most powerful earthquake in the country's recorded history.
The lessons are clear: building codes, early warning systems, and preparedness save lives. Magnitude alone does not determine death tolls — human decisions do.
For earthquake preparedness information, see our earthquake preparedness guide. For information about earthquake risk in specific regions, explore our fault and city pages:
Sources
- United States Geological Survey (USGS). "Largest Earthquakes in the World Since 1900." earthquake.usgs.gov. USGS Largest Earthquakes
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. "Significant Earthquake Database." NOAA Earthquake Database
- Utsu, T. (2002). "A List of Deadly Earthquakes in the World: 1500–2000." International Handbook of Earthquake and Engineering Seismology, Academic Press.
- Bilham, R. (2009). "The Seismic Future of Cities." Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering, 7(4), 839–887.
- Field, E.H., et al. (2015). "Long-Term Time-Dependent Probabilities for the Third Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF3)." Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 105(2A), 511–543.
- Lay, T., et al. (2005). "The Great Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake of 26 December 2004." Science, 308(5725), 1127–1133.
- Simons, M., et al. (2011). "The 2011 Magnitude 9.0 Tohoku-Oki Earthquake: Mosaicking the Megathrust from Seconds to Centuries." Science, 332(6036), 1421–1425.