The most destructive earthquakes recorded based on estimated fatalities. This comprehensive dataset is meticulously compiled from verified global sources and updated regularly. Use the sorting and filtering tools to explore the data, or export it as CSV for deeper analysis. All figures are cross-referenced with authoritative international databases.
| Rank ⇵ | Year ⇵ | Location ⇵ | Estimated Deaths ⇵ | Magnitude ⇵ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shaanxi, China | 1556 | 8.0 | 830,000 |
| 2 | Tangshan, China | 1976 | 7.8 | 242,769 - 655,000 |
| 3 | Antioch, Byzantine Empire | 526 | 7.0 | 250,000 |
| 4 | Haiyuan, China | 1920 | 7.8 | 273,400 |
| 5 | Aleppo, Syria | 1138 | Unknown | 230,000 |
| 6 | Indian Ocean (Sumatra) | 2004 | 9.1 | 227,898 |
| 7 | Damghan, Iran | 856 | 7.9 | 200,000 |
| 8 | Hongdong, China | 1303 | 8.0 | 200,000 |
| 9 | Haiti | 2010 | 7.0 | 100,000 - 316,000 |
| 10 | Ardabil, Iran | 893 | Unknown | 150,000 |
| 11 | Kanto, Japan | 1923 | 7.9 | 142,800 |
| 12 | Ashgabat, Turkmenistan | 1948 | 7.3 | 110,000 |
| 13 | Messina, Italy | 1908 | 7.1 | 82,000 |
| 14 | Chihli, China | 1290 | 6.8 | 100,000 |
| 15 | Sichuan, China | 2008 | 7.9 | 87,587 |
| 16 | Kashmir, Pakistan | 2005 | 7.6 | 87,351 |
| 17 | Shemakha, Azerbaijan | 1667 | 6.9 | 80,000 |
| 18 | Tabriz, Iran | 1727 | Unknown | 77,000 |
| 19 | Lisbon, Portugal | 1755 | 8.5 - 9.0 | 60,000 - 100,000 |
| 20 | Yungay, Peru | 1970 | 7.9 | 66,000 |
| 21 | Sicily, Italy | 1693 | 7.4 | 60,000 |
| 22 | Quetta, Pakistan | 1935 | 7.7 | 60,000 |
| 23 | Gansu, China | 1932 | 7.6 | 70,000 |
| 24 | Calabria, Italy | 1783 | 6.9 | 50,000 |
| 25 | Manjil-Rudbar, Iran | 1990 | 7.4 | 40,000 - 50,000 |
| 26 | Gulshan, China | 1927 | 7.6 | 40,900 |
| 27 | Turkey-Syria | 2023 | 7.8 | 59,259 |
| 28 | Erzincan, Turkey | 1939 | 7.8 | 32,700 |
| 29 | Chillan, Chile | 1939 | 7.8 | 28,000 |
| 30 | Valparaiso, Chile | 1906 | 8.2 | 20,000 |
| 31 | Spitak, Armenia | 1988 | 6.8 | 25,000 - 50,000 |
| 32 | Agadir, Morocco | 1960 | 5.8 | 12,000 - 15,000 |
| 33 | Bam, Iran | 2003 | 6.6 | 26,271 |
| 34 | Kangra, India | 1905 | 7.8 | 20,000 |
| 35 | Gujarat, India | 2001 | 7.7 | 20,023 |
| 36 | Tohoku, Japan (Tsunami) | 2011 | 9.1 | 19,759 |
| 37 | Guatemala | 1976 | 7.5 | 23,000 |
| 38 | Qazvin, Iran | 1962 | 7.1 | 12,225 |
| 39 | Tabas, Iran | 1978 | 7.4 | 15,000 - 25,000 |
| 40 | Nicaragua | 1972 | 6.3 | 10,000 |
| 41 | Latur, India | 1993 | 6.2 | 9,748 |
| 42 | Mino-Owari, Japan | 1891 | 8.0 | 7,273 |
| 43 | Nepal | 2015 | 7.8 | 8,964 |
| 44 | Michoacan, Mexico | 1985 | 8.0 | 10,000 |
| 45 | Luristan, Iran | 1909 | 7.3 | 8,000 |
| 46 | Avezzano, Italy | 1915 | 6.7 | 32,610 |
| 47 | Fukui, Japan | 1948 | 7.1 | 3,769 |
| 48 | Ashika, Japan | 1927 | 7.3 | 2,925 |
| 49 | Assam-Tibet, India/China | 1950 | 8.6 | 4,800 |
| 50 | San Francisco, USA | 1906 | 7.9 | 3,000+ |