We invite you to take a look at the Geological Society of London's report on the most powerful earthquakes of the last 100 years. Armenia, USA, Japan, China, Chile and others - all these countries suffered from natural disasters.
At 5:12 am, a powerful earthquake occurred in San Francisco, the magnitude of which was 7.8 on the Richter scale. Tremors were felt even in the center of Nevada, located inland. As a result of this disaster, almost 80% of the buildings in the city of San Francisco were destroyed, 300,000 people were left homeless, and 3,000 died.
The epicenter of the earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 was located in the strait between Sicily and the Apennine Peninsula. As a result of this earthquake, which is considered the strongest European earthquake, the cities of Messina and Reggio Calabria were almost completely destroyed. In Messina, almost half of the inhabitants died. The total number of deaths is estimated at 70-100 thousand people (some sources put the figure up to 200 thousand).
This earthquake of magnitude 8.3 is also called the Great Kanto Earthquake, since the Japanese Kanto province suffered the most from the disaster. Over two days, 356 tremors occurred, and the height of the tsunami in Sagami Bay reached 12 meters. The death toll in that disaster is estimated at 142,800 people.
4. Quetta, Pakistan, 1936.
The earthquake completely destroyed the city's infrastructure, with a death toll of almost 40,000 people and damage estimated at US$25 million.
5. Concepcion, Chile, 1939.
The magnitude of the tremors was 8.3. 28,000 people died and nearly $100 million in damage was incurred.
This city regularly experiences powerful earthquakes. In 1939, the disaster claimed the lives of 36 to 39 thousand people.
The earthquake of magnitude 5.9 lasted only 15 seconds, but the death toll was 15 thousand people, 12 thousand were injured, and 35 thousand were left homeless.
8. Chimbote, Peru, 1970.
The magnitude 7.7 earthquake severely damaged the fishing industry, causing unemployment and impoverishment for several years. During the earthquake itself, 67 thousand people died and damage amounted to $550 million.
This earthquake of magnitude 8.2 is considered one of the largest in terms of the number of casualties in the history of observations. Then the disaster claimed more than 650 thousand lives.
The 7.5 magnitude earthquake killed more than 22,000 people and injured 70,000. Damage amounted to $1.1 billion.
This 8.1 magnitude earthquake is considered one of America's most destructive earthquakes. The number of dead then was 9 thousand people, 30 thousand were injured and 100 thousand were left homeless.
The magnitude of the catastrophic Spitak earthquake was 7.2 points. The city of Spitak and 58 other villages were completely destroyed. The death toll was 25 thousand people, and 514 thousand were left homeless. Damage was estimated at $14 billion.
The earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.1, occurred right before the start of the World Series baseball game, which is why in the United States this earthquake is also called the “World Series earthquake.” Compared to other earthquakes, there were not so many deaths: 68 people. The tremors completely destroyed an entire network of roads, and the total material damage amounted to 6 billion dollars.
The magnitude of the tremors was 7.3. 6,434 people died and damage amounted to $200 million.
Magnitude 7.6, the number of victims was 17,217 people, over 43 thousand were injured. The earthquake sparked a fire at the oil refinery, which took several days to extinguish. Total damage amounted to $25 billion.
The magnitude was 9.1 points. The earthquake produced the deadliest earthquake in modern history, killing nearly 300,000 people. The monstrous earthquake changed the speed of the Earth's rotation, causing the day to become shorter by 2.68 microseconds.
The powerful magnitude was 8.8, the total number of deaths reached almost 800 people. The earthquake caused a tsunami that even reached Australia.
A magnitude of up to 9.1 points is in the entire history of observations. As of March 14, official sources report almost 5,000 deaths, but this figure is not final.
Dear readers!
Want to stay updated? Subscribe to our page at
According to the National Earthquake Information Center, working on behalf of the US Geological Survey, the Earth experiences at least one very destructive earthquake every year, the magnitude of which exceeds 8.0, about 18 earthquakes from 7 to 7.9.0, which belong to the category of very strong, 120 strong earthquakes, the magnitude of which reaches 6−6.9 points, approximately 800 moderate tremors from 5 to 5.9 points, just over 6,200 minor earthquakes, magnitude 4−4.9, and approximately 50 thousand weak earthquakes, which have a magnitude of 3 up to 3.9. But in the history of the Earth there have been earthquakes that remain in the history books as the deadliest - they took the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and harmed millions. It is precisely such natural disasters that we will talk about today.
Earthquake in Aleppo, Syria, 1138
Earthquake in Syria in 1138- one of the most powerful in history
One of the most powerful earthquakes known to mankind, and the fourth largest in the number of victims (estimated at over 230,000 dead). This earthquake measured 8 on the Richter scale. The earthquake occurred in several stages, covering the territories of modern northern Syria and southwestern Turkey, and later Iran and Azerbaijan. The peak of destruction occurred on October 11, 1138, when Aleppo suffered.
After the earthquake, the population of Aleppo recovered only at the beginning of the 19th century.
Earthquake in Ganja (now the territory of Azerbaijan), 1139
The strength of this earthquake was 11 points. As a result of the disaster, about 230 thousand people died.A mountain collapsed during an earthquake Kapaz and blocked the bed of the Akhsu River, which ran through it, as a result of which eight lakes were formed, one of which is Lake Goygol . This lake is currently located on the territoryGoygol Nature Reserve.
Earthquake in Egypt, 1201
The earthquake in Egypt in 1201 killed more than 1 million people.
This earthquake is included in the Guinness Book as the most destructive. According to chroniclers, the number of victims was 1 million 100 thousand people. There is an opinion that the figures indicated by historians are far from the truth, and there is a good chance that the facts were exaggerated. However, the disaster was gigantic in scale, which had a huge impact on the historical development of the region.
Earthquake of Gansu and Shaanxi, China, 1556
The Chinese earthquake in 1556 killed 830,000 people
It killed an estimated 830,000 people, more than any other earthquake in human history.At the epicenter of the earthquake, 20-meter holes and cracks opened. The destruction affected areas located 500 km from the epicenter. The huge number of victims was due to the fact that most of the population of the province lived in loess caves that collapsed after the first tremors or were flooded mudflows.
For six months after the earthquake, repeated seismic tremors followed several times a month, but of lesser intensity.
Earthquake in Calcutta, India, 1737
This is the most tragic earthquake in the history of the country.. It claimed the lives of about 300 thousand people.
Great Kanto Earthquake, Japan, 1923
The number of victims of the earthquake in Japan in 1923 was 4 million people.
A strong earthquake of magnitude 8.3 that occurred on September 1, 1923 in Japan. The earthquake caused the death of several hundred thousand people and caused significant material damage throughout the state. In terms of the scale of destruction and the number of victims, it is the most destructive in the history of Japan.The official death toll is 174 thousand, another 542 thousand are listed as missing, and over a million are left homeless. The total number of victims was about 4 million.
The material damage suffered by Japan from the Kanto earthquake is estimated at $4.5 billion, which at that time amounted to two of the country's annual budgets.
Earthquake in Chile, 1960
1960 Chile earthquake - one of the strongest in the history of mankind
One of the strongest earthquakes in human history occurred on May 22, 1960 in Chile, the strength of which at the epicenter reached 9.5 points, and the fault was 1000 kilometers. The natural disaster killed 1,655 people, injured 3,000 people, left about 2 million people homeless, and caused half a billion dollars in losses. The tsunami generated by this earthquake reached the coasts of Japan, the Philippines and Hawaii and caused significant damage to coastal communities.
Earthquake in Ashgabat in the Turkmen SSR, 1948
Earthquake in Ashgabat - the most fatal earthquake in the USSR
The most fatal earthquake in the Soviet Union. It consisted of two strong shocks several hours apart. The incident happened on the night of November 5-6. The strength of the natural disaster was approximately 9 points. It took a few seconds for the complete destruction of a population center of 130 thousand. It is still not clear how many people died that night. Approximately the number of deaths is estimated at 160 thousand people, which collectively amounts to 80% of the total population of the city and surrounding area.
Indian Ocean earthquake, 2004
An undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean caused a tsunami that was considered the deadliest natural disaster in modern history. The magnitude of the earthquake was, according to various estimates, from 9.1 to 9.3. The destruction affected Port Elizabeth in South Africa, despite the fact that it was located several thousand kilometers from the epicenter. Some coasts had to deal with waves higher than 20 meters. The huge release of energy that accompanied the collision of tectonic plates caused a displacement of Sumatra and its neighboring islands by several tens of meters. According to various estimates, from 225 thousand to 300 thousand people died.
2010 Haiti earthquake
Damage from the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 is estimated at 5.6 billion euros
After the main shock magnitude 7 many were registered repeated tremors, 15 of them with a magnitude greater than 5.According to official data, as of March 18, 2010, the death toll was 222,570 people, and 311 thousand people were injured. Material damage is estimated at 5.6 billion euros.
Earthquake off the east coast of Hons Island, Japan, 2011
This is the strongest earthquake in known history. history of Japan. The earthquake occurred at a distance of about 70 km from the nearest point on the coast of Japan. Initial estimates showed that the tsunami waves took between 10 and 30 minutes to reach the first affected areas of Japan. In 69 minutesafter the earthquake the tsunami flooded Sendai airport.
The official death toll from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan is 15,892. Damage from the earthquake in Japan is estimated at 16-25 trillion yen ($198-309 billion).
WITH most famous strong earthquake in the history of mankind, which claimed the greatest number of lives occurred in Shaanxi and Henan in China. Estimated to have died on 2 February 1556 830 thousand people. In history 20th and 21st centuries A colossal number of vibrations of the earth's crust of enormous force were recorded, resulting in numerous human casualties. According to experts, the number major earthquakes is growing every year. Also, almost 150 are recorded annually earthquakes small magnitude. Observers attribute this to the approach of the mysterious planet Nibiru.
We bring to your attention the most strong and large earthquakes that happened on our planet in the 20th and 21st centuries, each of which resulted in a huge number of deaths, piles of destroyed buildings and homes, and a record number of people left homeless. Position in the ranking of described earthquakes very conditional.
† In terms of the number of victims, it is considered one of the most large 20th and 21st centuries Tien Shan earthquake July 28, 1976, magnitude 7.9. Death toll reaches 750,000.
† In 1950, in the state of Assam (India) such a thing happened strong earthquake that all the seismographs went off scale. Its magnitude was 9 on the Richter scale.
† February 4, 1976 due to the appearance of a crack in the Motagua fault in Guatemala over 1 million inhabitants left homeless in an instant.
† Most major earthquake in the 20th century according to the scale of the Japanese seismologist Kanamori, it was observed on May 22, 1960 in Chile. Then at least 10 thousand people. Large cities were destroyed - Concepcion, which existed for more than 400 years, Valdivia, Puerto Montt, Osorno and others. The Pacific coast for more than 1000 km suffered from the rampant disaster. Coastal strip with an area of 10 thousand square meters. km sank below ocean level and was covered by a two-meter layer of water. 14 volcanoes have awakened. A series of subsequent aftershocks killed 5,700 people and left another 100,000 homeless. The damage caused was estimated at $400 million, and 20% of the country's industrial complex was destroyed. In 7 days (May 21-30), almost the entire Chilean countryside was reduced to ruins. The monstrous destruction on the coast was complemented by a gigantic tsunami. In particular, the port of Ankund, the capital of the island of Chiloe, was washed away. And on Easter Island, a 10-meter wave scattered, like grains of sand, multi-ton (up to 80 tons) stones of an ancient ritual structure - ahu Tongariki.
† Trouble came to the city of Verny (today Alma-Ata) on the eve of the New Year 1911. The area of complete destruction (9-11 points) covered the territory with an area of 15 thousand square meters. km. Mountain ranges and valleys were cut by faults up to 200 km long. The strip of the greatest disturbances of the earth's surface (500 m wide and 100 km long) was recorded on the southern coast of Issyk-Kul. Millions of tons of soil have shifted.
†Greatest seismic disaster 20th century occurred on August 15, 1950 in the highlands of Tibet. The energy was approximately equal to the force of the explosion 100 thousand atomic bombs. The total weight of the displaced rocks was about 2 billion tons. Eyewitness accounts were terrifying. A deafening roar erupted from the bowels of the earth. In Calcutta, more than 1,000 km away, underground vibrations caused bouts of seasickness among residents. Cars were thrown back 800 m, a section of the railway track 300 m long was lowered by almost 5 m, and the road was completely destroyed.
† Strong 11-12 points earthquake erupted on December 4, 1957 in southern Mongolia. It started around noon with a strong jolt. Residents managed to run out of the premises, and when the subsequent main blow wiped out the buildings, almost no one was left in them. Huge dark clouds of dust rose above the mountains, initially hiding the peaks. The dust spread quickly, covering the entire 230 km long mountain range. Visibility did not exceed 100 m. The air cleared only after two days. Soil vibrations were observed over an area of 5 million square meters. km.
† On August 31, 2012, an explosion occurred in the central part of the Philippine archipelago. major earthquake magnitude 7.6, which led to significant destruction of roads and bridges. Residents of the island of Samar hastened to take refuge on high ground, fearing a possible tsunami. The epicenter of the earthquake was 146 km from the island. The source of the tremors lay at a depth of 32 km. Fortunately, strong earthquake did not trigger a tsunami.
† On March 11, 2011, more than 20 major earthquakes of the 21st century, the strongest with a magnitude of up to 8.9 on the Richter scale. In Tokyo, buildings swayed and a major highway collapsed. A 10-meter-high tsunami reached the island of Honshu, and a six-meter-high tsunami hit the island of Hokkaido. In Miyagi Prefecture, water washed away not only boats, houses and cars, but also tanks from a military factory. The nuclear power plant stopped operating. Authorities have decided to close Narita International Airport in Tokyo. The cataclysm led to a displacement of the Earth's rotation axis by almost ten centimeters... The official death toll in 12 prefectures of Japan is 15,870 people, 2846 people are missing in 6 prefectures, 6110 injured in 20 prefectures. 3,400 houses were completely or partially destroyed. The city of Rikuzentakata, located in the northeastern Iwate Prefecture, was almost completely submerged under water. Strong explosion occurred at the oil storage facility of the oil company Cosmo Oil in the city of Likihara, in the suburbs of Tokyo. Explosions at the Fukushima nuclear power plant led to a radiation leak... A ghost loomed over the world again nuclear death, and the suburbs of Tokyo could well become one of.
† Late August 2012 episode earthquakes deprived the residents of the small town of Brawley in California. Here 400 happened in 4 days weak and moderate tremors. Nature reminded us that we need to be prepared for anything, because this is an earthquake-prone area.
We talked about the most dangerous natural disasters 20th and 21st centuries - earthquakes, the force and consequences of which could well lead to an unprecedented global catastrophe on Earth. The threat of global disaster is real. The same elements that created our fragile planet can destroy it. The earth is not ready for strong, large earthquakes magnitude 10 or more.
More than 650 thousand people died and more than 780 thousand people were injured during a terrible earthquake in northeastern China. On the Richter scale, the force of the shocks reached 8.2 and 7.9 points, but in terms of the number of destructions it comes out on top. The first, stronger shock occurred on July 28, 1976 at 3:40 a.m., when almost all the residents were sleeping. The second, a few hours later, on the same day. The epicenter of the earthquake was located in the city of Tangshan, a city with a population of one million. Even after several months, instead of a city, there remained a space of 20 square kilometers, which consisted entirely of ruins.
The most interesting evidence about the Tangshan earthquake was published in 1977 by Sinna and Larisa Lomnitz, at the National University of Mexico. They wrote that immediately before the first earthquake, the skies were illuminated with radiance for many kilometers around. And after the shock, the trees and plants around the city looked as if they had been run over by a steam roller, and the remaining bushes sticking out here and there were burned on one side.
One of the most powerful earthquakes in human history—measuring 8.6 on the Richter scale—struck the remote Gansu province of China in 1920. The powerful tremor turned the rickety, animal skin-covered homes of local residents into ruins. 10 ancient cities turned into ruins in one minute. 180 thousand inhabitants died and another 20 thousand died from the cold, left without their homes.
In addition to the destruction that was caused directly by the earthquake itself and the collapse of the earth's surface, the situation was aggravated by the landslides it provoked. Not only is the territory of Gansu a mountainous area. But it still abounds in caves with deposits of loess - fine and mobile sand. These strata, like streams of water, rushed down the slopes of the mountains, carrying with them heavy blocks of stone, as well as giant pieces of peat and turf.
3. The most powerful - by number of points
The most powerful earthquake, which even seismographs were unable to measure because the needles were too high, occurred on August 15, 1950 in Assam, India. It claimed the lives of more than 1000 people. Later, the earthquake began to be attributed to a force of 9 points on the Richter scale. The power of the tremors was so colossal that it caused confusion in the calculations of seismologists. American seismologists decided that it happened in Japan, and Japanese seismologists decided that it happened in the USA.
In the Assam zone the situation is no less complicated. Catastrophic tremors shook the earth for 5 days, opening holes and closing them again, sending fountains of hot steam and superheated liquid into the sky, swallowing entire villages. Dams were damaged, cities and towns were flooded. The local population fled from the elements in the trees. The destruction then exceeded the losses caused by the second most powerful earthquake, which occurred in the area in 1897. 1,542 people died then.
1) Tangshan earthquake (1976); 2) to Gansu (1920); 3) in Assam (India 1950); 4) in Messina (1908).
4. The most powerful thing in the history of Sicily
The Strait of Messina - between Sicily and the toe of the "Italian boot" - has always had a bad reputation. In ancient times, the Greeks believed that the terrible monsters Scylla and Charybdis lived there. In addition, over the centuries, earthquakes occurred from time to time in the area of the strait and surrounding areas. But none of them are comparable in scale to what happened on December 28, 1908. It began in the early morning, when most people were still sleeping.
There was only one earthquake, recorded at the Messina Observatory at 5:10 am. Then a dull rumble was heard, growing louder, and movements began to occur under the surface of the water of the strait, quickly spreading to the east and west. After some time, Reggio, Messina and other coastal cities and villages on both sides of the strait were in ruins. Then the sea suddenly retreated 50 meters along the coast of Sicily, from Messina to Catania, and then a wave 4–6 meters high hit the shore, flooding the coastal lowlands.
On the Calabrian side the wave was higher, resulting in more damage. In the Reggio area the earthquake was stronger than in all other places in Sicily. But the greatest loss of life was in Messina, the largest of the affected cities, which is also a center of tourism, with a large number of magnificent hotels.
Help was unable to arrive in time due to a complete lack of communication with the rest of Italy. The next morning, Russian sailors landed in Messina. The Russians had doctors who provided first aid to the victims. 600 armed Russian sailors began to restore order. On the same day, the British Navy arrived and with their help control was completely restored.
5. The most terrifying number of victims is in South America
No earthquake in the history of South America has claimed as many lives as the one that occurred on January 24, 1939 in Chile. Erupting at 11:35 p.m., it took unsuspecting residents by surprise. 50 thousand people died, 60 thousand were injured and 700 thousand were left homeless.
The city of Concepción lost 70% of its buildings, from old churches to the shacks of the poor. Hundreds of mines were filled up, and the miners who worked in them were buried alive.
5) Earthquake in Chile (1939); 6) in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan 1948); 7) in Armenia (1988); 8) in Alaska (1964).
It occurred in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) on October 6, 1948. It was the most severe earthquake in terms of consequences on the territory of the USSR in the first half of the 20th century. The cities of Ashgabat, Batir and Bezmein suffered from underground impacts with a force of 9–10 points. Analyzing the consequences of the disaster, scientists came to the conclusion that the destruction was the result of an unfortunate combination of unfavorable factors, primarily the poor quality of buildings.
According to some sources, more than 10 thousand people died then. According to others - 10 times more. Both of these figures were classified for a long time, as was all information about natural disasters and catastrophes on Soviet territory.
7. The most powerful earthquake in the Caucasus in the 20th century
1988, December 7 - at 11:41 a.m. Moscow time, an earthquake occurred in Armenia, which destroyed the city of Spitak and destroyed the cities of Leninakan, Stepanavan, Kirovakan. 58 villages in the north-west of the republic were reduced to ruins, almost 400 villages were partially destroyed. Tens of thousands of people died, 514 thousand people were left homeless. Over the past 80 years, this was the most powerful earthquake in the Caucasus.
The panel buildings, as it turned out later, collapsed due to the fact that numerous technology violations were committed during their installation.
8. The strongest - in the entire history of the United States
This happened off the coast of Alaska on March 27, 1964 (about 8.5 on the Richter scale). The epicenter was located 120 km east of the city of Anchorage, and Anchorage itself and the settlements around Prince William Sound were the most affected. To the north of the epicenter the ground dropped by 3.5 meters, and to the south it rose by at least two. The underground disaster caused a tsunami that devastated forests and port facilities along the coasts of Alaska, British Columbia, Oregon and Northern California and reached Antarctica.
Much damage was caused by snowfalls, avalanches and landslides. The relatively small number of victims - 131 people - is due to the sparse population of the area, but other factors were also at play. The earthquake began in the morning at 5:36 a.m., during the holidays, when schools and businesses were closed; There were almost no fires. In addition, due to the accompanying low tide, the seismic wave was not as high as it could have been.
We often imagine nature in the role of a kind of “caring grandmother,” admiring flowers, beautiful landscapes and watching a peacefully babbling brook. This impression is deceptive, as sometimes she shows her true strength.
An example of this is the most powerful earthquake in the world. More precisely, we will talk about several cases known to us, since different scientists and historians are not very similar in their assessments.
The sad list is crowned by the disaster that occurred in India. This happened not so long ago, in 1950. All old Hindus remember with horror the day when the earth split open and thousands of people disappeared without a trace into huge cracks in the earth. All this happened in the city of Assam, which was located on the eastern coast of the country.
Officially, this is the strongest earthquake in the world in the last millennium. Unfortunately, this event received a sad title for a reason.
In particular, none of the metering devices was able to record its real strength, as they were simply off scale. Official science later assigned it a score of 9, although all surviving Indian scientists from Assam unanimously insist that these figures are false, that in fact this monstrous earthquake was many times stronger.
Their words are fully confirmed by the information of their American colleagues, who, being many thousands of kilometers from the epicenter of the disaster, recorded its consequences without any instruments, since tremors of impressive force even reached the central states! This is truly the most powerful earthquake in the world.
On the same day, the alarm was sounded in Japan: the tremors detected by sensors were so strong that the country's civil defense forces cut off pipes, trying to find out in which prefecture such a strong earthquake was occurring.
What was their surprise and horror when they learned that the disaster that occurred in distant India had echoed with strong underground vibrations even among them!
This is the most powerful earthquake in the world, only due to the small size of the city (completely destroyed) and cost India a thousand dead. If something similar happened in Delhi, the consequences are scary to imagine...
Unfortunately, the Chinese are much less fortunate. In 1976, what all historians consider to be the most terrible cataclysm in the history of modern civilization occurred, meaning an incredible number of victims.
We are talking about a cataclysm in Hebei province. Then the strength of the underground rumors was “only” 8.2 points, which is much weaker than the Indian incident, but even according to official data, about 250 thousand people were among the dead.
A terrible number. Of course, this is not the strongest earthquake in history, but analysts believe that Chinese authorities underestimated the loss figures by 3-4 times.
What about our country? Are we really lucky to live in the most sustainable place on the planet? Unfortunately, it is not.
The most powerful one happened quite recently - on May 28, 1995 on Sakhalin. This is a dark day in our history. On that fateful morning, the force of the tremors was up to 10 points.
Due to the small population, everything could have worked out, but the city of Neftegorsk took the brunt of the attack, which after that ceased to exist. More than two thousand people died.
The most tragic thing is that graduates gathered at the local school that day. Of the 26 children, only nine survived.
