Powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake strikes Tibet, killing 53 -

At least 53 people have been killed and 62 injured after a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Tibet’s mountainous region on the morning of January 7, damaging over 1,000 homes, according to Chinese state media. The tremors were felt in neighboring Nepal and parts of India, highlighting the quake’s far-reaching impact. Situated along a major geological fault line, the region is prone to frequent seismic activity.

Every year, thousands of tiny tremors are recorded all over the planet, some of which are so small that they go unnoticed. However, some earthquakes are remembered throughout history for their unparalleled destruction and devastation. Click through the following gallery to discover some of the highest-magnitude earthquakes ever recorded.

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Hualien, Taiwan (2024) -

Taiwan's worst earthquake in 25 years struck the country's east coast on the morning of April 3, 2024. Luckily, the eastern county of Hualien, which suffered the worst of the damage, is sparsely populated, but the natural disaster still took seven lives. A further 700 people were injured, and an estimated 77 people were trapped by collapsed infrastructure. Strong tremors were also felt in the capital city of Taipei at the northern tip of the island nation, causing the subway system to be shut down temporarily.  More than 50 aftershocks were recorded.

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Badakhshan, Afghanistan (2023) -

A powerful earthquake hit northern Pakistan and northeastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, March 21.  The Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan were the site of the 6.5-magnitude quake's epicenter, but the after tremors were felt as far away as New Delhi. Residents across towns in Afghanistan and Pakistan fled their homes as the shockwaves triggered mudslides and caused buildings to collapse. There were around 21 casualties and hundreds of people were injured. 

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Turkey, Syria (2023) -

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake was reportedly centered about 20 miles (32 km) from Gaziantep, Turkey, a major city and provincial capital, when it struck at 3:17 am local time on February 6. The death toll from the disastrous quake surpassed 46,000, with thousands more injured, and numerous buildings reduced to rubble in southern Turkey and northern Syria. 

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Turkey, Syria (2023) -

Just weeks after, as rescue efforts were still underway, the Turkey-Syria border was hit by a new 6.3-magnitude quake on February 20 which killed at least six and injured around 300 more.

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Mexico (2022) -

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck western Mexico on September 19, killing at least two people, injuring 35 more, damaging buildings, and knocking out power for residents of Mexico City. The quake struck on the anniversary of not one but two prior quakes that had previously battered the country. Thousands of people were killed in the 1985 earthquake, and over 350 died in the quake in 2017, Reuters reports, leading locals to believe there is something "cursed" about the day. 

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Paktika and Khost, Afghanistan (2022) -

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake killed 1,163 people after hitting the eastern Paktika and Khost provinces of Afghanistan on June 21. Photos show landslides and toppled homes, as well as helicopters ferrying victims to hospitals from more remote areas. More than 6,000 people were injured. Tremors from the quake were felt across more than 500 km (310 mi) of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.  

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Fukushima, Japan (2022) -

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake killed at least four after hitting off the coast of Japan's Fukushima prefecture on March 16. You may remember that this is the same area that was also hit by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami that resulted in a nuclear power plant meltdown.

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Tōhoku, Japan (2011) - Considered one of the five most destructive earthquakes of all time, it was responsible for 15,878 deaths and left 6,126 wounded and 2,173 missing. After the earthquake, an enormous tsunami hit the Japanese coast.

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Haiti (2021) -

On August 14, 2021, Haiti was struck with a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that killed over 2,000 people and left more than 12,000 injured. Over 136,00 buildings were damaged or destroyed. The earthquake's epicenter was about 96 km (60 mi) west of the disastrous 2010 earthquake, which had a 7.0 magnitude but was far more damaging.

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Port-au-Prince, Haiti (2010) - This earthquake hit 7 on the Richter scale. The disaster had catastrophic consequences, leaving 316,000 people dead, 300,000 wounded, and one million people homeless.

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Tangshan, China (1976) - This 8.2 magnitude, 2.2 gigaton earthquake only lasted 10 seconds but caused an immense amount of damage. Around 225,000 people lost their lives in the disaster.

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Valdivia, Chile (1960) -

The 1960 earthquake in Valdivia reached 9.4–9.6 on the Richter scale and left thousands dead, as well as causing hundreds of millions in damages.

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Shaanxi, China (1556) - With a magnitude of 8 on the Richter scale, this earthquake killed 830,000 people.

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Sumatra, Indonesia (2004) - This earthquake hit the Indian Ocean and registered a magnitude of 9.3 on the Richter scale. The quake generated a massive tsunami, which caused a devastating wave of destruction that left more than 225,000 people dead.

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Aleppo, Syria (1138) - This quake reached 8.5 on the Richter scale and was one of the worst disasters of the era. More than 230,000 people are thought to have died.

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Haiyuan County, China (1920) - This earthquake struck on December 16, 1920, in China's Ningxia Province, with a magnitude of between 7.8 and 8.5 on the Richter scale. According to reports, between 200,000 and 240,000 people died.

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Xining, China (1927) - The city of Xining suffered a 7.9 magnitude earthquake on May 22, 1927. At least 40,000 people died, though according to some reports the number was higher.

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Damghan, Iran (856) -

This devastating earthquake hit on December 22, 856 CE, killing 200,000 people and sending shock waves that could be felt in neighboring cities.

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Kanto, Japan (1923) - This is the deadliest earthquake in Japan's history. With a magnitude of 7.9 on the Richter scale, it killed 93,000 people and left 44,000 missing.

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Ashgabat, Soviet Union (1948) - At 7.3 on the Richter scale, this earthquake caused 110 fatalities and a huge wave of destruction.

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Messina, Italy (1908) - This 7.1-magnitude quake was accompanied by a tsunami, which killed more than 100,000 people in the south of Italy.

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Chihli, China (1290) - Researchers estimate that this earthquake in China had a magnitude of around 9 on the Richter scale and resulted in the death of around 100,000 people.

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Sichuan, China (2008) - This huge earthquake in Sichuan province happened on May 12, 2008, and measured 7.9 on the Richter scale. The quake caused the death of nearly 70,000 people.

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Kashmir, Pakistan (2005) - With a magnitude of 7.6, this disaster in Pakistan resulted in an estimated 85,000 deaths and left more than 69,000 people wounded.

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Shamakhi, Azerbaijan (1667) -

Studies have estimated the earthquake to have had a magnitude of 6.9 and caused the deaths of more than 80,000 people.

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Tabriz, Iran (1721) - Destroying mosques and schools, this earthquake in Iran killed more than 80,000 people and practically leveled the entire city.

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Lisbon, Portugal (1755) - Seismologists estimate that the earthquake was between 8.5 and 9 on the Richter scale. The ensuing chaos caused a deadly combination of fires and a tsunami that killed more than 100,000 people.

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Yungay, Peru (1970) -

This 8 magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale was the worst natural disaster to ever hit Peru, affecting three million people and causing 75,000 deaths.

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Sicily, Italy (1693) - Considered the most devastating earthquake in Italian history, it registered at a magnitude of 7.4 on the Richter scale. It destroyed 70 cities, killing 60,000 people in southern Italy.

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Manjil and Rudbar, Iran (1990) - This quake destroyed 700 villages in the north of Iran and cost US$8 billion in damage, killing 40,000-50,000 people and injuring over 60,000, as well as leaving over 400,000 people homeless.

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Izmit, Turkey (1999) - This 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit northern Turkey and lasted just 3.7 seconds. The quake caused the deaths of 17,000 people and left 44,000 wounded.

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Nepal (2015) -

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, affecting a region between the capital of Kathmandu and the city of Pokhara. The devastation caused the deaths of almost 9,000 people and left up to 22,000 injured.

See also: Nature's warning signs before disaster strikes

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