Earthquake Disasters of the World
In recorded history more than 14 million people have lost their lives in earthquakes or because of earthquake after-effects such as landslides, fires and tsunami (tidal waves), The list below includes some which have killed 40,000 or more people, some that had magnitudes greater than 8.0, irrespective of the number of people killed, and some of particular historic or scientific interest.
    The list from 1981 information has been updated with earthquakes that are easily recalled, but exact details are not known. Any one that can enlighten me please feel free to e-mail me any details you may have. Thanks.
Year Location Magnitude Killed Notes/Comments
856 Greece Unknown 45,000 .
1268 Asia Minor Unknown 60,000
1290 China Unknown 100,000
1556 China Unknown 830,000 The most destructive earthquake in terms of loss of life
1667 Caucasia Unknown 80,000 .
1693 Italy Unknown 60,000
1693 Italy Unknown 93,000
1730 Japan Unknown 137,000
1731 China Unknown 100,000
1731 India Unknown 300,000
1755 Portugal 8.7 (Est) 60,000 One of the most violent earthquakes, felt up to 2,000 km (1,250 miles) away.
1755 Persia (Iran) Unknown 40,000 .
1783 Italy Unknown 50,000
1797 Ecuador Unknown 40,000
1847 Japan Unknown 34,000
1857 Italy 6.5 (Est) 12,000 The first earthquake to be studied scientifically.
1868 Peru, Ecuador Unknown 40,000 .
1886 S. Carolina, USA Unknown 60 The strongest earthquake ever recorded along the east coast of the USA.
1906 San Fransisco, USA 8.3 700 One of the most closely studied earthquakes.
1908 Italy 7.5 83,000 .
1920 China 8.6 180,000
1923 Tokyo, Japan 8.3 140,000
1927 China 8.3 200,000
1931 New Zealand 7.9 255 New Zealand's first great earthquake disaster.
1932 China Unknown 20,000 .
1935 Pakistan 7.5 20,000
to
60,000
1952 California, USA 7.7 11
1960 Chile 8.5 4,000
to
5,000
1963 Yugoslavia 6.0 1,000
1964 Alaska 8.5 178 The most destructive North American earthquake this century and the most thoroughly studied of all time.
1966 E. Turkey Unknown
1968 Japan 8.6 48 .
1968 W, Sicily Unknown
1968 Iran 7.4 12,000 The most devastating earthquake in Iran's history.
1970 Peru 7.7 50,000
to
70,000 		The worse earthquake in Peru this century (20th); high proportion of deaths due to landslides.
1976 China 8.2 Probably more than 50,000 The main areas earthquakes take place are at joints of the Techtonic Plates, sometimes refered to as the Ring of Fire. Below is a map showing the plates and thus the areas at risk on further earthquakes.
1985 Mexico 8.1 & 7.6 6,000+
1988 Armenia Unknown
1989 San Francisco, USA 7.1 62
1990 N.W. Iran Unknown
1994 Los Angeles, USA Unknown
1995 Kobe, Japan 7.1 6000
1996 Los Angeles, USA 7.1 57
1998 Afghanistan Unknown
1999 Taiwan 7.6 Over 2,300 Biggest earthquake of 1999.
2000 Unknown Unknown
2001 El Salvador 7.6 1,200 Tremors were also felt in Mexico.
It's only January but already had this one. If anything bigger occurs, I'll change this entry at the end of this year. Loss of life due to landslides.
2001 Gugurat, India 7.9 Expected to be 15,000 Actual epi-centre was Bhuj. The strongest earthguake in India in 50 years. Most casualties from after shocks.
2002 TBA * * *
2003 TBA * * *
2004 Off west coast of Northern Sumatra 9.0 Expected to be around 300,000 Just about all deaths caused by the tsunamis it created.
.
Some earthquakes of large magnitude have caused relatively small loss of life, as the shocks have occurred in remote areas with small populations.
(As I don't follow these things, I have to wait for figures to be published somewhere before adding them here. If however you can supply information on those above and subsequent years, please e-mail me the info and I can add/amend it. Axiompc.)

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