The 10 Deadliest And 10 Strongest Ones Since 1950

9,057 people in Turkey are reportedly dead, and over 52,000 are injured.

In Syria, 2,992 deaths and over 1,200 injuries have been reported.

The quake shook a 500 kilometer area where 13.5 million people live, according to Turkish President Tayyip Edrdogan.

Rescue efforts are reportedly slowed by freezing temperatures.

Aid agencies, including the United Nations, warn that Syrian citizens are particularly vulnerable to the earthquake’s effects–over 4 million Syrians needed aid before the earthquake hit, according to multiple reports.

10 Deadliest Earthquakes Since 1950

1. 655,000 dead, magnitude 7.8, Tangshan Province in China (July 28, 1976): The Chinese government reports 242,769 people died, but the death toll is likely much higher.

2. 316,000, 7, Port au Prince, Haiti (January 12, 2010): The official death toll is 316,000 people, but some estimate it’s closer to 220,000.

3. 283,000, 9.1, Andaman Islands (December 26, 2004): This is also the third strongest earthquake since 1950.

4. 87,600, 7.9,Sichuan Province in China (May 12, 2008)

5. 86,000, 7.6, Kashmir, Pakistan (October 8, 2005): Some estimate the death toll is over 87,000.

6. 70,000, 7.9, Ancash, Peru (May 31, 1970): Of the 70,000, 50,000 were confirmed dead and 20,000 are missing and presumed dead.

7. 50,000, 7.4, Manjil-Rudbar, Iran (June 20, 1990): The death toll is between 40,000 and 50,000.

8. 34,000, 6.6, Bam, Iran, (December 26, 2003): The government released official deaths in 2020.

9. 25,000, 6.8, Spitak, Armenia (December 7, 1988)

10. 23,000, 7.6, Los Amates, Guatemala (February 4, 1976)

Ten Strongest Earthquakes Since 1950:

1. Magnitude 9.5, 1,800 dead, Bio-Bio, Chile (May 22, 1960): Strongest earthquake ever recorded.

2. 9.2, 131, Prince William Sound, Alaska (March 27, 1964)

3. 9.1, 283,000, Andaman Islands (December 26, 2004): The only earthquake to be in both the top 10 strongest and deadliest earthquakes since 1950.

4. 9.1, 15,700,Tohoku, Japan (March 11, 2011)

5. 9, Kamchatka, Russia (November 4, 1952)

6. 8.8, 523, Quirihue, Chile (February 27, 2010)

7. 8.7, Rat Islands, Alaska (February 4, 1985)

8. 8.6, 780, Tibet (August 8, 1950)

9. 8.6, 2, Sumatra, Indonesia (April 11, 2012)

10. 8.6, 1,300, Nias-Sumele, Indonesia (March 28, 2005)

Key Background

An earthquake’s intensity, or the severity of its shaking, determines how dangerous it is: more fatalities occur in areas with un-reinforced buildings or soft soil that prolongs shaking. Earthquakes can also cause dangerous secondary effects, like landslides, fires and tsunamis. The Modified Mercalli Index measures an earthquake’s intensity by considering the severity of the shaking and the amount of damage relative to factors like building construction and soil composition. The Moment Magnitude Scale measures the strength, or magnitude, of an earthquake, replacing the outdated Richter scale.

Further Reading:

The latest on the deadly Turkey-Syria earthquake (CNN)

Earthquake Death Toll In Turkey And Syria Surpasses 6,200 (Forbes)