Here are the ten deadliest earthquakes that have caused the most destruction and loss of human life in the last 18 years.

1. December 26, 2004: West Coast North Sumatra, Magnitude 9.1

   

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   Loss of life: 227,898

   This major disaster was an undersea earthquake that set off a series of tsunamis. It was centered in the Indian Ocean. Its epicenter was in Indonesia but it affected the regions of India, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Aftershocks of 6.1 or greater shook the area for months. Millions of people were left homeless.

   Tsunami Blasts Thailand

2. October 8, 2005: Pakistan, “Kashmir Quake,” Magnitude 7.9

   
   
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   Loss of life: 80,361

   This earthquake was similar in power to the 1908 San Francisco quake. The severity of the destruction was attributed to poor building construction and lack of enforced structure codes. It is estimated that 8 million people were affected, as it was winter during that time. Over 3 million people were left homeless.

   The Devastation of Pakistan

3. May 12, 2008: Eastern Sichuan, China, Magnitude 7.9

   

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   Loss of life: 68,800

   This was the most tragic earthquake to shake China since 1976. The statistics report that about 5 million people were left homeless, although some reports say it was actually 11 million people that were left without a place to live. Buildings rocked and rolled as far away as Beijing with the tremor. Sichuan is about one thousand miles southeast of Beijing.

   Video of China Earthquake, May 2008

   A bank building in Beichaun

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4. June 20, 1990: Iran, Magnitude 7.7

   Loss of life: 50,000

   

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   700 villages were destroyed in this 1990 earthquake that centered in very remote areas of Iran. 500,000 people were left homeless after this earthquake.

5. December 26, 2003: Southeastern Iran, Magnitude 6.6

   
   A map of the region’s seismic activity

   Loss of life: 31,000

   The country of Iran is home to several major fault lines and earthquakes are part of the territory. At least 20 aftershocks of 5.1 or greater were felt and recorded after this tremor. Scientists believe that it may have been the most powerful quake to hit the area in 900 years.

6. January 26, 2001: India, Magnitude 7.7

   Map showing site of continental collision

   Loss of life: 20,023

   This earthquake lasted 98 seconds! The length of this quake increased the major loss of life and destruction to many buildings. At least a million buildings and historic structures were destroyed. 167,000 people were injured in this huge earthquake. The collision of continental plates in this area caused this severe quake.

7. September 20, 1999: Turkey, Magnitude 7.6

   

   A Mosque in Turkey: Image Source

   Loss of life: 17,118

   While this earthquake in Turkey lasted a mere 37 seconds it was an enormity of loss and devastation. 500,000 people were left homeless in winter. 120,000 buildings were damaged beyond repair. A huge fire in an oil refinery caused even more damage and burned out of controlled for days. There was 700,000 tons of oil fueling this fire.

8. September 29, 1993: India, Magnitude 6.2

   
   A collapsed staircase: Image Source

   Loss of life: 9,7,48

   This part of India does not lie along a fault line and so it was uncertain as to what triggered this massive quake. One theory was that “fault webs” exist in the area from the constant pushing against the Himalayan Mountains. Other theories blamed a reservoir construction in the area. The shallowness of the quake caused more damage. Deeper quakes are able to absorb the intensity and shallow quakes always create more destruction.

9. January 16, 1995: Kobe, Japan, Magnitude 6.9

   

   Kobe Port: Image Source

   Loss of life: 5,530-6,500

   This earthquake has the distinction in the World’s Book of Records to be the “world’s costliest.” It caused over 200 billion dollars in damage. The damage occurred in the cities and suburbs. The damage was far more extensive than the Northridge quake that had hit the previous year. This quake caused the Japanese government to take a closer look at their building codes and earthquake readiness.

   The City of Kobe

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10. May 30, 1998: Afghanistan, Magnitude 6.6

    

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    Loss of life: 4,000-4,500

    This was the second of two very strong quakes that hit this part of the world in 1998. This earthquake left around 50,000 people homeless. Villages were literally buried by the avalanches that occurred in the area immediately after the quake. Many of the destroyed villages were perilously unstable due to being built on slopes.

For further information on disaster preparedness and the causes of earthquakes I recommend this excellent article.