Historical earthquakes
A chronological, readable archive of major earthquakes that shaped communities and seismic science.
YearEarthquake and summaryMagnitudeImpact
2023
2023 Kahramanmaraş (Pazarcık) EarthquakeTurkey · The Pazarcık-centered earthquake of 6 February 2023 occurred on the East Anatolian Fault and is considered one of Turkey's most destructive earthquakes.
M7.7
53,000lives lost
2023
2023 Kahramanmaraş (Elbistan) EarthquakeTurkey · The second major earthquake centered on Elbistan the same day further increased destruction in areas already affected by the first shock.
M7.6
53,000lives lost
2022
2022 Düzce (Gölyaka) EarthquakeTurkey · A moderate-magnitude but widely felt earthquake on the North Anatolian Fault.
M5.9
2lives lost
2020
2020 Elazığ (Sivrice) EarthquakeTurkey · It occurred on the East Anatolian Fault and caused major damage along the Elazığ–Malatya corridor.
M6.8
41lives lost
2020
2020 İzmir (Seferihisar) EarthquakeTurkey · It caused the collapse of many buildings in İzmir's Bayraklı district.
M7.0
117lives lost
2015
2015 Nepal EarthquakeNepal · It caused widespread destruction, especially in the Kathmandu Valley.
M7.8
9,000lives lost
2011
2011 Van EarthquakeTurkey · It caused major destruction in Van and Erciş and is one of the significant earthquakes of eastern Turkey.
M7.1
604lives lost
2011
2011 Tōhoku EarthquakeJapan · It resulted in a major tsunami and nuclear crisis.
M9.0
15,800lives lost
2010
2010 Haiti EarthquakeHaiti · The capital Port-au-Prince was largely destroyed.
M7.0
220,000lives lost
2008
2008 Wenchuan EarthquakeChina · It caused widespread devastation in Sichuan province.
M7.9
87,000lives lost
2006
2006 Yogyakarta EarthquakeIndonesia · Despite moderate magnitude, poor building quality led to very high casualties.
M6.4
5,700lives lost
2005
2005 Kashmir EarthquakePakistan · It caused major destruction along the Pakistan–India border.
M7.6
87,000lives lost
2004
2004 Sumatra EarthquakeIndonesia · It generated the Indian Ocean tsunami and caused destruction in many countries.
M9.1
230,000lives lost
2003
2003 Bingöl EarthquakeTurkey · Notable for the collapse of school buildings in Bingöl and surrounding areas.
M6.4
177lives lost
2003
2003 Bam EarthquakeIran · Much of the city of Bam was destroyed. Despite moderate magnitude, casualties were extremely high.
M6.6
26,000lives lost
2001
2001 Gujarat EarthquakeIndia · It caused major destruction in western India.
M7.7
20,000lives lost
1999
1999 Gölcük EarthquakeTurkey · It devastated the Marmara region and became a turning point for building safety in Turkey.
M7.4
17,600lives lost
1992
1992 Erzincan EarthquakeTurkey · The largest earthquake in Erzincan since the 1939 event.
M6.7
653lives lost
1992
1992 Flores EarthquakeIndonesia · The tsunami that followed destroyed coastal settlements.
M7.8
2,500lives lost
1990
1990 Manjil EarthquakeIran · It caused widespread destruction in northern Iran.
M7.4
40,000lives lost
1985
1985 Mexico City EarthquakeMexico · Many buildings collapsed in the capital and the city suffered extensive damage.
M8.0
10,000lives lost
1978
1978 Tabas EarthquakeIran · The city of Tabas was nearly completely destroyed; one of Iran's most devastating earthquakes.
M7.4
20,000lives lost
1976
1976 Çaldıran EarthquakeTurkey · Many villages around Van were completely destroyed.
M7.3
3,840lives lost
1976
1976 Tangshan EarthquakeChina · Tangshan was nearly completely destroyed. One of the deadliest earthquakes in history.
M7.5
242,000lives lost
1970
1970 Gediz EarthquakeTurkey · The town of Gediz was largely destroyed.
M7.2
1,086lives lost
1970
1970 Ancash EarthquakePeru · It triggered major landslides and wiped out many settlements.
M7.9
70,000lives lost
1968
1968 Dasht-e Bayaz EarthquakeIran · It turned many settlements in eastern Iran into ruins.
M7.1
12,000lives lost
1966
1966 Varto EarthquakeTurkey · It caused heavy destruction in Muş and surrounding areas.
M6.9
2,394lives lost
1960
1960 Valdivia EarthquakeChile · The largest earthquake ever recorded, which also generated a major tsunami.
M9.5
6,000lives lost
1957
1957 Abant EarthquakeTurkey · It caused heavy damage in Bolu and surrounding areas.
M7.1
52lives lost
1949
1949 Karaburun (İzmir) EarthquakeTurkey · One of the significant Aegean earthquakes that damaged İzmir and its surroundings.
M6.6
5lives lost
1948
1948 Ashgabat EarthquakeTurkmenistan · A major disaster around Ashgabat, regarded as one of Central Asia's largest catastrophes.
M7.3
110,000lives lost
1943
1943 Tosya-Ladik EarthquakeTurkey · It struck on the North Anatolian Fault and caused major damage around Kastamonu.
M7.2
4,000lives lost
1942
1942 Niksar-Erbaa EarthquakeTurkey · It occurred on the North Anatolian Fault and caused major destruction around Tokat.
M7.0
3,000lives lost
1939
1939 Erzincan EarthquakeTurkey · This earthquake on the North Anatolian Fault is one of the most destructive in the history of the Republic of Turkey. The city of Erzincan was largely destroyed.
M7.9
32,962lives lost
1935
1935 Quetta EarthquakePakistan · Quetta was nearly completely destroyed; casualties were very high due to poor building quality.
M7.7
60,000lives lost
1927
1927 Xining EarthquakeChina · In Qinghai, China, many villages were completely wiped out.
M8.3
40,000lives lost
1923
1923 Great Kantō EarthquakeJapan · It triggered major fires and mass destruction in Tokyo and Yokohama.
M7.9
140,000lives lost
1912
1912 Mürefte (Şarköy) EarthquakeTurkey · It occurred on the western segment of the North Anatolian Fault and caused major destruction in the Marmara region.
M7.4
2,800lives lost
1908
1908 Messina EarthquakeItaly · One of the most destructive earthquakes in European history. The cities of Messina and Reggio Calabria were largely wiped out.
M7.1
80,000lives lost
1894
1894 Istanbul EarthquakeTurkey · It caused major damage in Istanbul and the Marmara region and is one of the most destructive earthquakes of the Ottoman era.
M7.0
1,000lives lost
2023 Kahramanmaraş (Pazarcık) EarthquakeTurkey · The Pazarcık-centered earthquake of 6 February 2023 occurred on the East Anatolian Fault and is considered one of Turkey's most destructive earthquakes.
M7.7
53,000lives lost
2023
2023 Kahramanmaraş (Elbistan) EarthquakeTurkey · The second major earthquake centered on Elbistan the same day further increased destruction in areas already affected by the first shock.
M7.6
53,000lives lost
2022
2022 Düzce (Gölyaka) EarthquakeTurkey · A moderate-magnitude but widely felt earthquake on the North Anatolian Fault.
M5.9
2lives lost
2020
2020 Elazığ (Sivrice) EarthquakeTurkey · It occurred on the East Anatolian Fault and caused major damage along the Elazığ–Malatya corridor.
M6.8
41lives lost
2020
2020 İzmir (Seferihisar) EarthquakeTurkey · It caused the collapse of many buildings in İzmir's Bayraklı district.
M7.0
117lives lost
2015
2015 Nepal EarthquakeNepal · It caused widespread destruction, especially in the Kathmandu Valley.
M7.8
9,000lives lost
2011
2011 Van EarthquakeTurkey · It caused major destruction in Van and Erciş and is one of the significant earthquakes of eastern Turkey.
M7.1
604lives lost
2011
2011 Tōhoku EarthquakeJapan · It resulted in a major tsunami and nuclear crisis.
M9.0
15,800lives lost
2010
2010 Haiti EarthquakeHaiti · The capital Port-au-Prince was largely destroyed.
M7.0
220,000lives lost
2008
2008 Wenchuan EarthquakeChina · It caused widespread devastation in Sichuan province.
M7.9
87,000lives lost
2006
2006 Yogyakarta EarthquakeIndonesia · Despite moderate magnitude, poor building quality led to very high casualties.
M6.4
5,700lives lost
2005
2005 Kashmir EarthquakePakistan · It caused major destruction along the Pakistan–India border.
M7.6
87,000lives lost
2004
2004 Sumatra EarthquakeIndonesia · It generated the Indian Ocean tsunami and caused destruction in many countries.
M9.1
230,000lives lost
2003
2003 Bingöl EarthquakeTurkey · Notable for the collapse of school buildings in Bingöl and surrounding areas.
M6.4
177lives lost
2003
2003 Bam EarthquakeIran · Much of the city of Bam was destroyed. Despite moderate magnitude, casualties were extremely high.
M6.6
26,000lives lost
2001
2001 Gujarat EarthquakeIndia · It caused major destruction in western India.
M7.7
20,000lives lost
1999
1999 Gölcük EarthquakeTurkey · It devastated the Marmara region and became a turning point for building safety in Turkey.
M7.4
17,600lives lost
1992
1992 Erzincan EarthquakeTurkey · The largest earthquake in Erzincan since the 1939 event.
M6.7
653lives lost
1992
1992 Flores EarthquakeIndonesia · The tsunami that followed destroyed coastal settlements.
M7.8
2,500lives lost
1990
1990 Manjil EarthquakeIran · It caused widespread destruction in northern Iran.
M7.4
40,000lives lost
1985
1985 Mexico City EarthquakeMexico · Many buildings collapsed in the capital and the city suffered extensive damage.
M8.0
10,000lives lost
1978
1978 Tabas EarthquakeIran · The city of Tabas was nearly completely destroyed; one of Iran's most devastating earthquakes.
M7.4
20,000lives lost
1976
1976 Çaldıran EarthquakeTurkey · Many villages around Van were completely destroyed.
M7.3
3,840lives lost
1976
1976 Tangshan EarthquakeChina · Tangshan was nearly completely destroyed. One of the deadliest earthquakes in history.
M7.5
242,000lives lost
1970
1970 Gediz EarthquakeTurkey · The town of Gediz was largely destroyed.
M7.2
1,086lives lost
1970
1970 Ancash EarthquakePeru · It triggered major landslides and wiped out many settlements.
M7.9
70,000lives lost
1968
1968 Dasht-e Bayaz EarthquakeIran · It turned many settlements in eastern Iran into ruins.
M7.1
12,000lives lost
1966
1966 Varto EarthquakeTurkey · It caused heavy destruction in Muş and surrounding areas.
M6.9
2,394lives lost
1960
1960 Valdivia EarthquakeChile · The largest earthquake ever recorded, which also generated a major tsunami.
M9.5
6,000lives lost
1957
1957 Abant EarthquakeTurkey · It caused heavy damage in Bolu and surrounding areas.
M7.1
52lives lost
1949
1949 Karaburun (İzmir) EarthquakeTurkey · One of the significant Aegean earthquakes that damaged İzmir and its surroundings.
M6.6
5lives lost
1948
1948 Ashgabat EarthquakeTurkmenistan · A major disaster around Ashgabat, regarded as one of Central Asia's largest catastrophes.
M7.3
110,000lives lost
1943
1943 Tosya-Ladik EarthquakeTurkey · It struck on the North Anatolian Fault and caused major damage around Kastamonu.
M7.2
4,000lives lost
1942
1942 Niksar-Erbaa EarthquakeTurkey · It occurred on the North Anatolian Fault and caused major destruction around Tokat.
M7.0
3,000lives lost
1939
1939 Erzincan EarthquakeTurkey · This earthquake on the North Anatolian Fault is one of the most destructive in the history of the Republic of Turkey. The city of Erzincan was largely destroyed.
M7.9
32,962lives lost
1935
1935 Quetta EarthquakePakistan · Quetta was nearly completely destroyed; casualties were very high due to poor building quality.
M7.7
60,000lives lost
1927
1927 Xining EarthquakeChina · In Qinghai, China, many villages were completely wiped out.
M8.3
40,000lives lost
1923
1923 Great Kantō EarthquakeJapan · It triggered major fires and mass destruction in Tokyo and Yokohama.
M7.9
140,000lives lost
1912
1912 Mürefte (Şarköy) EarthquakeTurkey · It occurred on the western segment of the North Anatolian Fault and caused major destruction in the Marmara region.
M7.4
2,800lives lost
1908
1908 Messina EarthquakeItaly · One of the most destructive earthquakes in European history. The cities of Messina and Reggio Calabria were largely wiped out.
M7.1
80,000lives lost
1894
1894 Istanbul EarthquakeTurkey · It caused major damage in Istanbul and the Marmara region and is one of the most destructive earthquakes of the Ottoman era.
M7.0
1,000lives lost