This list has been compiled by keeping in mind the death toll, magnitude and the measurement of destruction including infrastructure and land caused by deadliest earthquakes or tsunamis till date. So, here is our list of the ten deadliest earthquakes ever.
10 Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
The earthquake that happened in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan in 1948. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.3 Moment magnitude on the seismograph. It resulted in extreme damage in Ashgabat and the surrounding villages and suburbs. Nearly, 110,000 people lost their lives and the damage to infrastructure is unmatched to that caused by any other natural calamities.
9 Izmit, Turkey.
Next on our list is the Izmit, Turkey earthquake, which occurred on the 17th August, 1990. Although, the earthquake lasted for a brief time of 3.7 seconds but with a magnitude of 7.9 Moment magnitude, it caused immeasurable destruction and damage. It reportedly killed around 50,000 people, whereas the number of injured persons was reported to be around 33,000.
8 Sumatra, Indonesia.
The earthquake in the Indian Ocean in 2004 with its cracking magnitude of 9.1 Moment magnitude definitely deserves a place in our list of ten deadliest earthquakes ever. Hitting the Indian Ocean on the 26th December, 2004, the tsunami earthquake claimed over 230,000 human lives. This undersea mega thrust earthquake had its center in the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia.
7 Aleppo, Syria.
The disaster hit the area of Aleppo, in Syria, on the 11th October, 1138. This earthquake in considered to be one of the worst earthquakes to have hit the mankind owing to its high magnitude of 8.5 Moment magnitude. It totally runied the region of Aleppo. The total death toll recorded reached to 230,000 and the number of injured persons was equally great.
6 Maule, Chile.
On 27th February, 2010, a high-magnitude earthquake hit the area of Maule, in Chile. The magnitude of the earthquake was recorded to be as high as 8.8 Moment magnitude. It lasted for more than 3 minutes, during which a great destruction in terms of infrastructure was caused. Although the death toll was fairly low with 500 people losing their lives to the ill-fated day, around 25 people were reported to be missing and it damaged the port at Talcahuano.
5 Rudbar, Iran.
The disastrous earthquake of Rudbar, Iran, took place on the 21 June, 1990. Reportedly, the earth caused widespread damage in the surrounding area of up to 300 kilometers from its central point. Destroying 700 villages near the cities of Lushan, Rudbar and Manjiil, the earthquake took 40,000 lives, leaving 500,000 homeless. The number of injured persons reached up to 60,000 and the damage cost was estimated to be around $200 million.
4 Tohoku, Japan.
The east coast of Tohoku in Japan, on the 11th of March, 2011, was hit by a deadliest earthquake ever recorded in the history of mankind with a 9.03 magnitude. This natural calamity caused immense destruction leaving thousands injured, claiming 16,000 lives and a large number of people went missing, as well. Nearly 130,000 buildings collapsed in the earthquake.
3 Azad Kashmir and adjoining areas, Pakistan.
Pakistan Earthquake, which took place in the year 2005, in the Kashmir, Abbottabad and Mansehra district of the country, is said to have caused immense destruction. Measured on the seismograph at a magnitude of 7.5, the earthquake was the cause of disturbance in the platonic plates. As a result even after the main earthquake, numerous aftershocks kept shaking the earth and therefore affecting the life in the region for weeks ahead. The death toll count was 85,000, while 70,000 were seriously injured.
2 Sichuan, China.
A devastating earthquake took place in Sichuan province of China in the year 2008. With the whopping magnitude of 7.9 on the seismograph, the earthquake claimed 87,600 lives. Many homes, building and roads were destructed. And a huge number of people were seriously injured. A study by the UN revealed that around 34,000 people became handicapped owing to the serious injuries.
1 Haiti.
Another and perhaps the deadliest of all earthquakes to have hit the earth is that which shook the Caribbean country, Haiti, in the year 2010. With the magnitude measured at 7.1 on the seismograph, the earthquake caused great destruction and damage to the country and its residents. Reportedly over 300,000 people lost their lives in this deadliest earthquake and about 310,000 were injured.
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