TOP EIGHT WORST EATHQUAKES IN HISTORY

TABRIZ, IRAN

This took place near the city of Tabriz, Iran on April 26, 1721, and

destroyed prominent mosques and schools resulting in death casualties

of 8,000 to 250,000, though it was approximated at 80,000 only.

Interpreted as an omen of misfortune or a demonstration of divine

wrath, it contributed to the success of the Ottoman take-over of Tabriz

in 1722 and on its economic difficulties, as well as the destruction

of the city’s significant historical monuments.

LISBON, PORTUGAL

Known as the ‘Great Lisbon Earthquake,’ this event occurred on

November 1, 1755 in the Kingdom of Portugal. Seismologists today

estimate the Lisbon earthquake in the range of 8.5 to 9.0 on the

magnitude scale that had a deadly combination of subsequent

fires and a tsunami. It totally destroyed Lisbon and its surrounding

areas with an estimated death toll of between 10,000 and 100,000

people. Because of its devastating effects over large areas, this

event resulted in the scientific studies of modern seismology

and earthquake engineering.

YUNGAY, PERU

This Great Peruvian Earthquake was an undersea earthquake that

affected the regions of Ancash and La Libertad. It occurred on May

31, 1970 and was recorded as the worst catastrophic natural disaster

that hit Peru, which affected over 3 million people. It has a magnitude

of 7.9 to 8.0 on the Richter scale with an intensity of VIII on the

Mercalli scale, which lasted for 45 seconds. This caused the rock,

ice, and snow avalanche on the northern wall of Mount Huascaran

burying the towns of Yungay and Ranrahirca, which led to the

death of 20,000 people in Yungay alone. The damages incurred

tallied to 74,194 deaths, 25,600 missing, 143,331 injured, and more

than a million homeless. The estimated economic loss was more

than half a billion USD with the entire communication system

and basic facilities destroyed.

SICILY, ITALY

On January 11, 1693, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of

7.4 and maximum intensity of XI or ‘extreme’ had struck the

parts of Sicily, Calabria, and Matta in southern Italy. Considered the

most powerful in Italian history, it destroyed at least 70 towns and

cities causing the death of 60,000 people. It was also followed by a

tsunami that hit the Ionian Sea and the Straits of Messina, wiping

out two-thirds of the entire population of Catania.

RUDBAR, IRAN

This disastrous event happened on June 21, 1990 and caused

widespread damage within 100 kilometres of the epicentre’s

radius near the city of Rashi, and about 200 kilometres northwest

of Tehran. It destroyed 700 villages across the cities of Rudbar,

Manjiil, and Lushan and cost $200,000,000 in damages, including

40,000 fatalities, 60,000 injured and 500,000 people homeless.

IZMIT, TURKEY

This was a 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck northern Turkey

on August 17, 1990, which lasted for only 3.7 seconds. The city

of Izmit was very badly damaged and had a death toll of 17,127

and 43, 959 injured though other sources suggested that the

actual figure for fatalities may be closer to 45,000 with a similar

number of injured. Another report from September 1999 showed

that the earthquake had destroyed 120,000 poorly-engineered

houses, heavily damaged 50,000 houses; caused 2,000 buildings

to collapse while 4,000 other buildings were left severely damaged

and made more than 300,000 people homeless.

NANKAIDO, JAPAN

This 8.6 magnitude earthquake that occurred on September 20,

1498, off the coast of Nankia, Japan triggered a large tsunami,

which cost the lives of between 26,000 and 31,000 people.

It caused severe shaking that reached the Boso Peninsula and

also caused a tsunami in the Suruga Bay, which destroyed

the building that housed the statue of the Great Buddha at Kotuku-in.

NEPAL EARTHQUAKE (BETWEEN KATHMANDU

AND THE CITY OF POKHARA)

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal in an area between the

capital, Kathmandu, and the city of Pokhara on Saturday April 25,

2015 with what has been described as a force equalling that of

20 thermonuclear weapons. The devastation claimed the lives of

at least 5,000 people while injuring 10,000 more with authorities

warning that casualty numbers could rise. The devastating quake

also destroyed major monuments such as the Dharahara tower,

temples and world heritage sites near Kathmandu.