TOP EIGHT WORST EATHQUAKES IN HISTORY
Added on: 22nd Feb 2016
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.
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