From China in 1556 to Turkey in 2023: Most destructive earthquakes ever

The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake in China is considered to be the worst in terms of the number of lives lost, as it killed over 830,000 people

Four devastating earthquakes have hit Turkey and Syria in the last two days, killing over 4,000 people, with the numbers rising. Thousands have been injured, and search operations are going on for the rescue of the missing. The first earthquake of 7.8 magnitude hit Nurdagi in Gaziantep province near the Syrian border in Turkey on Monday.

It was followed by another two of 7.5 and 6 magnitudes in Kahramanmaras province. On Tuesday morning, another one of 5.6 struck central Turkey.

The death toll is expected to rise as rescuers search through the frigid night. India has sent an NDRF team to assist in rescue operations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country would provide "all possible help" to the affected people.

This earthquake, or the series of earthquakes, will be remembered as one of the worst in the world's history. Here are some of the other deadliest quakes:

June 22, 2022: Afghanistan

Last year, more than 1,100 people died in a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan. The Paktika province was the most affected, and around 4,500 houses were reportedly destroyed.

September 28, 2018: Indonesia

A magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit Indonesia, killing more than 4,300 people. Its epicentre was located in Central Sulawesi. The quake had several smaller foreshocks, with the largest measuring 6.1 on the Richter Scale. It also led to a tsunami.

April 25, 2015: Nepal

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake killed more than 8,800 people. It was the country's worst earthquake since 1934 and flattened 98 per cent of all homes in the hillside villages. It also destroyed historical monuments in Bhaktapur.

March 11, 2011: Japan

The Tohoku earthquake of magnitude 9.0 off the northeast coast of Japan is believed to be the second-worst earthquake of the 21st century. It triggered a tsunami, killing more than 20,000 people. It triggered a nuclear disaster at the Fukushima nuclear reactor.

January 12, 2010: Haiti

In Haiti, a staggering 316,000 people were killed by a magnitude 7.0 quake. It was around the country's capital Port-au-Prince. The quake was so powerful that it was felt in neighbouring countries of Cuba and Venezuela.

The initial shock registered a magnitude of 7.0 and was soon followed by two aftershocks of magnitudes 5.9 and 5.5.

May 12, 2008: China

A magnitude 7.9 quake hit eastern Sichuan in China, resulting in over 87,500 deaths. Nearly 10,000 children died in the schools after the building collapsed. The total damage of the earthquake was estimated to be $86 billion. The epicentre of the quake was in the city of Wenchuan.

October 8, 2005: Pakistan Occupied Kashmir

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake killed over 80,000 people in Pakistan's Kashmir region and the North-West Frontier Province. Casualties were reported in India and Afghanistan as well. The quake was particularly destructive as it exposed thousands of people to the coming winters. 

December 26, 2004: Indonesia

An undersea earthquake of magnitude 9.1 in Indonesia triggered an Indian Ocean tsunami, killing 230,000 people in a dozen countries. The waves, in some places, had reached a height of 30 feet when they hit shorelines. The areas as far as East Africa were destroyed.

December 26, 2003: Iran

On the same date, one year before the Tsunami, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit the Bam district in Iran, resulting in 50,000 deaths. Forty-four countries sent their personnel to assist in relief operations.

January 26, 2001: Gujarat

A magnitude 7.7 quake hit the Kutch district of Gujarat in India, killing 20,000 people. 13,500 were killed in Bhuj alone, and around 800 people died in Ahmedabad. Several people lost their lives in Pakistan too.

February, May: Afghanistan

Two separate earthquakes struck the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan, killing around 7,000 people. Both of these were around 6.6 magnitude. The first one hit on February 4, killing 2,300 people. The second one hit on May 30, killing another 4,700.

July 28, 1976: China

An earthquake of 7.5 magnitude hit the city of Tangshan, east of Beijing, killing 242,000 people. According to Britannica, the number of deaths may be as high as 655,000. Around 700,000 people were injured in the quake.

May 31, 1970: Peru

Around 70,000 people died in an earthquake that originated off the coast of Peru. The quake lasted for 45 seconds, and it caused massive landslides across the country.

May 22, 1960: Chile

The 9.5 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile is the most powerful earthquake ever measured in history. It lasted for about 10 minutes and killed around 1,000-6,000 people. The quake caused a tsunami and is often referred to as the Valdivia earthquake. 

September 1, 1923: Japan

A 7.9 earthquake in Japan, also called the Great Kanto earthquake, killed over 142,000 people. It resulted in the collapse of over half of the brick buildings in the region at the time. The quake also triggered tsunamis with a height of up to 12 metres. The earthquake was followed by fires and tornados.

January 23, 1556: China

This earthquake is the most destructive in the world's history. With a magnitude of 8, the earthquake struck China's Shaanxi region, killing 830,000 people. The quake's impact was such that in some counties, it is estimated that 60 per cent of the population was killed. Over 700,000 people migrated to other parts of the country, and thousands died due to famines and plagues.