Earthquakes and Volcanic     Eruptions
Dec. 22, Damghan, Iran: earthquake killed       200,000.
 893
March 23, Ardabil, Iran: earthquake killed about       150,000 people.
1138
Aug. 9, Aleppo, Syria: deadly earthquake claimed       lives of 230,000 people.
1290
Sept., Chihli, China: earthquake killed about       100,000 people.
1556
Jan. 23, Shaanxi (Shensi) province, China: most       deadly earthquake in history; 830,000 killed.
1667
Nov., Shemakha, Caucasia: earthquake killed about       80,000 people.
1693
Jan. 11, Sicily, Italy: earthquake killed about       60,000 people.
1707
Oct. 28, Japan: tsunami caused by an earthquake       drowned 30,000.
1727
Nov. 18, Tabriz, Iran: about 77,000 victims killed       in deadly earthquake.
1755
Nov. 1, Portugal: earthquake, fires, and Atlantic       tsunami leveled Lisbon and was felt as far away as southern France and       North Africa; 70,000 killed.
1782
South Sea, China: tsunami killed 40,000.
1783
Feb. 4, Calabria, Italy: series of 6 earthquakes       over two-month period caused massive destruction, killing 50,000. One of       first scientifically investigated earthquakes.
June 8, Iceland: eruption of Laki volcano lasted       until Feb. 1784. Haze from eruption resulted in loss of island's       livestock and widespread crop failure; 9,350 deaths, mostly due to       starvation.
1792
May 21, Kyushu Island, Japan: collapse of old lava       dome during eruption of Unzen volcano caused avalanche and tsunami that       killed an estimated 14,300 people. (Most were killed by the tsunami.)       Japan's greatest volcano disaster.
1811
Dec. 16, Mississippi Valley, nr. New Madrid, Mo.: earthquake reversed the course of the Mississippi River. Fatalities       unknown due to sparse population in area. Aftershocks and tremors       continued into 1812. It has been estimated that three of the series of       earthquakes had surface-wave magnitudes of 8.6, 8.4, and 8.8 on the Richter scale. It is the       largest series of earthquakes known to have occurred in North       America.
1815
April 5, 10–11, Netherlands Indies (Sumbawa,       Indonesia): eruption of Tambora largest in historic times. An       estimated 92,000 people were killed, about 10,000 directly as a result       of explosions and ash fall and about 82,000 indirectly by starvation and       disease.
1877
June 26, north-central Ecuador: eruption of Mt.       Cotopaxi caused severe mudflows that wiped out surrounding cities and       valleys; 1,000 deaths.
1883
Aug. 26–28, Netherlands Indies (Krakatau,       Indonesia): eruption of Krakatau; violent       explosions destroyed two-thirds of island and caused a tsunami on Java       and Sumatra, killing more than 36,000. It was felt as far away as Cape Horn and possibly       England.
1886
Aug. 31, Charleston, S.C.: magnitude 7.3 quake,       killed 60 people and caused extensive damage.
1896
June 15, Sanriku, Japan: earthquake and tidal wave       killed 27,000.
1902
May 7, St. Vincent, West Indies: Soufrière volcano       erupted, devastating one-third of the island and killing some 1,680       people.
May 8, Martinique, West Indies: Mt. Pelée erupted and       wiped out city of St. Pierre; 40,000 dead.
1906
April 18, San Francisco: earthquake accompanied by       fire razed more than 4 sq mi; estimates range from 700 to 3,000 dead or       missing.For more, see The Great 1906 San       Francisco Earthquake .
1908
Dec. 28, Messina, Sicily: city totally destroyed by       earthquake. Estimated death toll, from quake and tsunami, 70,000–100,000       in Sicily and southern       Italy.
1915
Jan. 13, Avezzano, Italy: magnitude 7.5 earthquake       left 29,980 dead.
1920
Dec. 16, Gansu province, China: magnitude 7.8       earthquake killed 200,000 in northwest China.
1923
Sept. 1, Japan: magnitude 7.9 earthquake destroyed       one-third of Tokyo and most of Yokohama. More than 140,000 killed.
1927
May 22, nr. Xining, China: magnitude 7.9 earthquake       claimed approximately 200,000 victims.
1932
Dec. 25, Gansu, China: magnitude 7.6 earthquake       killed approximately 70,000.
1933
March 10, Long Beach, Calif.: 117 left dead by       earthquake.
1935
May 30, Pakistan: earthquake at Quetta killed       30,000–60,000.
1939
Jan. 24, Chile: earthquake razed 50,000 sq mi;       about 30,000 killed.
Dec. 27, northern Turkey: severe quakes destroyed       city of Erzingan; about 30,000 casualties.
1948
Oct. 5, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan: magnitude 7.3       earthquake destroyed the city, killing 110,000.
1950
Aug. 15, India: earthquake affected 30,000 sq mi in Assam; 1500 killed.
1960
Feb. 29, Agadir, Morocco: 10,000–12,000 dead as       earthquake set off tidal wave and fire, destroying most of city.
May 22, Chile: strongest earthquake ever recorded       (9.5 magnitude) struck near the coast, causing a tsunami that traveled       as far as Hawaii, Japan, and New Zealand, killing 4,000–5,000.
1964
March 28, Alaska (03:36:14 UT; March 27,       5:36 P.M. local time): strongest earthquake ever to strike North America (9.2 magnitude) hit 80       mi east of Anchorage; followed by seismic wave (tsunami) 50 ft high that       traveled 8,445 mi at 450 mph; 117 killed..
1970
Jan. 5, Yunnan province, China: magnitude 7.5 quake       killed more than 10,000.
May 31, Peru: magnitude 7.9 earthquake left more       than 66,000 dead.
1972
Dec. 22, Managua, Nicaragua: earthquake devastated       city, leaving up to 6,000 dead.
1976
Feb. 4, Guatemala: quake left over 23,000       dead.
July 28, Tangshan, China: worst earthquake to hit       China in 20th century; devastated 20 sq mi of city, leaving 255,000       (official) dead. Estimated toll as high as 655,000.
Aug. 17, Mindanao, Philippines: earthquake and       tidal wave left up to 8,000 dead or missing.
1978
Sept. 16, Tabas, Iran: earthquake destroyed city in       eastern Iran, leaving 15,000 dead.
1980
May 18, Mount Saint Helens, Washington: one of the largest volcanic explosions in North American history killed 65 people and a significant portion of the elk, deer, bear, and coyote populations, and destroyed 230 sq mi of land and forest.
1985
Sept. 19–20, Mexico: magnitude 8.0 earthquake       devastated part of Mexico City and three       coastal states; estimated 25,000 killed (9,500 official).
Nov. 14–16, Colombia: eruption of Nevada del Ruiz,       85 mi northwest of Bogotá. Mudslides buried most of the town of Armero       and devastated Chinchiná; 21,800 killed.
1988
Dec. 7, Armenia: earthquake measuring 6.8 in       magnitude killed nearly 25,000, injured 15,000, and left at least       400,000 homeless.
1989
Oct. 17, San Francisco Bay area: earthquake       measuring 7.1 in magnitude killed 67 and injured over 3,000. Over       100,000 buildings damaged or destroyed.
1990
June 21, northwest Iran: magnitude 7.7 earthquake       destroyed cities and villages in Caspian Sea area. At       least 50,000 dead, over 60,000 injured, and 400,000 homeless.
July 16, northern Philippines: magnitude 7.7 quake       killed nearly 2,000.
1991
July 15, Luzon Island, Philippines: eruption of Mt.       Pinatubo buried over 300 sq mi under volcanic ash and resulted in more       than 800 deaths.
1993
Aug. 8, Guam: earthquake measuring 8.1 in magnitude       caused severe damage to many structures but no fatalities.
Sept. 29, India: earthquake measuring 6.2 killed       9,748 and destroyed nearly all the buildings in Khillari.
1994
Jan. 17, San Fernando Valley, Calif.: earthquake,       6.6 in magnitude, killed 61 and injured over 8,000. Damage estimated at       $13–20 billion.
1995
Jan. 17, Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe, Japan: 5,500       killed and 36,800 injured. Magnitude: 6.9.
1997
May 12, northeast Iran: severe earthquake measuring       7.3 in magnitude left more than 1,500 people dead and at least 4,460       injured.
June–Sept., southern Montserrat: ongoing eruption       of Soufrière Hills volcano since July 1995; killed 20 people in major       eruption on June 25, 1997, rendered southern two-thirds of Montserrat uninhabitable,       and forced some 8,000 of the island's 12,000 residents to abandon the       island.
1998
May 30, northern Afghanistan: magnitude 6.9       earthquake and aftershocks killed at least 4,000. A quake on Feb. 4 in       same area killed about 2,300.
July 17, Papua New Guinea: three tsunamis, possibly       spurred by an undersea landslide following an earthquake, wiped out       entire villages in the northwest province of Sepik. At least 2,100       killed.
1999
Jan. 25, Armenia, Colombia: 1,185 dead and more       than 4,000 injured in magnitude 6.2 earthquake. Over 200,000 left       homeless.
Aug. 17, northwest Turkey: magnitude 7.6 quake       centered near Izmit killed over 17,000 and injured about 44,000. Damage       estimated at $8.5 billion. Another severe 7.2 temblor killed more than       700 in Ducze and nearby towns in Nov.
Sept. 21, central Taiwan: severe 7.7 earthquake and       aftershocks killed 2,295 and injured 8,729.
2001
Jan. 13, El Salvador: magnitude 7.7 earthquake set       off some 185 landslides across El Salvador; at least 850 died and nearly       100,000 houses were destroyed.
Jan. 26, Bhuj, India: magnitude 7.7 earthquake       rocked western Indian state of Gujarat, killing more       than 20,000 people and leaving 600,000 homeless.
2002
March 25, northeast Afghanistan: series of       earthquakes—the largest measuring 6.1 in magnitude—rattled an area 100       mi north of Kabul. Estimated 1,000 people killed. The city of Nahrin, a       densely populated district capital, was completely razed.
2003
May 21, Northern Algeria: magnitude 6.8 earthquake       killed 2,266 people. The epicenter was 40 mi east of Algiers, the       capital city.
Dec. 26, Bam, Iran: magnitude 6.6 earthquake       devastated the ancient historic city of Bam in southeast Iran, killing       26,200 people, injured 30,000, and left 75,000 homeless, as mud-brick       buildings collapsed.
2004
Dec. 26, Sumatra, Indonesia: magnitude 9.0       earthquake, off the west coast of Sumatra, caused a tremendously       powerful tsunami in the Indian Ocean that hit 12 Asian countries,       killing more than 225,000 and leaving millions homeless. It was the       deadliest tsunami in history.
2005
Feb. 22, Zarand, Iran: magnitude 6.4 earthquake in       central Iran shook more than 40 villages, killing at least 612 people,       injuring over 1,400, and destroying villages with many mud–brick       houses.
March 28, Sumatra, Indonesia: magnitude 8.7       earthquake, off the west coast of Sumatra, killed 1,313. Many buildings       in the islands of Nias and Simeulue were destroyed and some officials       feared another tsunami would occur. The same area was at the center of a       huge tsunami in December that killed over 225,000 people. Officials at       the U.S. Geological Survey said that yesterday's earthquake was an       aftershock of December's 9.0 quake. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake was       twice the power of the 8.7 magnitude quake.
Oct. 8, Pakistan: magnitude 7.6 earthquake centered       in the Pakistani-controlled part of the Kashmir region killed more than       80,000 and injured 65,000. About half of the region’s capital city,       Muzaffarabad, has been destroyed, other towns and villages were       flattened, and the extreme mountainous terrain and bad weather made many       areas unreachable for weeks after the quake. An estimated 4 million were       left homeless with winter on the way and insufficient resources to       provide shelter.
2006
May 26, Java, Indonesia: (May 27 at 5:54 AM local       time in Java, Indonesia). 6.3 magnitude earthquake killed 5,749 people       and destroyed 127,000 homes. This area had also been under an intense       volcano watch due to the ongoing eruption of the volcano Merapi
July 17, Java, Indonesia: an earthquake triggered a       tsunami, killing 730.
2007
March 6, Sumatra, Indonesia: Two earthquakes,       magnitudes 6.4 and 6.3, killed at least 70 people in western Sumatra.       Several hundred were injured, and more than 1,000 buildings       collapsed.
April 1, Honiara, Solomon Islands: (April 2 at 7:39 AM local time in Honiara, Solomon Islands). Magnitude       8.1 earthquake and ensuing tsunami left at least 34 dead and thousands       homeless. The Solomon Islands are located in a part of the Pacific       referred to as the "Ring of Fire" due to the frequency of volcanic       activity and earthquakes in the region.
July 16, Niigata, Japan: A 6.8 magnitude earthquake       left at least 11 dead and injured more than 900. The tremor caused       skyscrapers in Tokyo to sway for almost a minute, and buckled roads and       bridges. Earthquake damage was also (belatedly) reported at the       Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, which was eventually shut down       until its safety could be confirmed.
Aug. 15, coast of central Peru: At least 337 are       reported dead after a 8.0-magnitude earthquake strikes coastal cities       near Lima, Peru.
Sept. 12 and 13, Sumatra, Indonesia: More than a       dozen people die on the island of Sumatra when three quakes, one with a       magnitude of 8.4, hit.
Nov. 14, South America: Earthquake with 7.7       magnitude kills at least two people and injures more than 150 in parts       of Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina.
2009
April 6: Italy An earthquake of magnitude 6.3 strikes central Italy, killing at least 92 people and leaving 40,000 to 50,000 people homeless. The town of L'Aquila is the epicenter of the earthquake, but as many as 26 towns are reportedly affected. (Apr. 7): The death toll of the earthquake has rises to 235 with many still missing, said Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. The number of people left homeless has been reduced to 17,000. Rescuers are still working to pull bodies from the debris.
Sept 2, Indonesia: About 60 people die when a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hits the island of Java, which is the most populous area of the country.
Sept. 29, Samoa: An underwater 8.0-magnitude earthquake causes a tsunami in Samoa and American Samoa that kills more than 115 people.
Sept. 30, Indonesia: A 7.6-magnitude earthquake hits the island of Sumatra, leaving more than 700 people dead and thousands trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings in the city of Padang.
2010
Jan. 12, Haiti: The beleaguered country of Haiti is dealt a catastrophic blow when a magnitude 7.0 earthquake strikes 10 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, the country's capital. It is the region's worst earthquake in 200 years. The quake levels many sections of the city, destroying government buildings, foreign aid offices, and countless slums. (Jan. 13): Assessing the scope of the devastation, Prime Minister Préval says, "Parliament has collapsed. The tax office has collapsed. Schools have collapsed. Hospitals have collapsed." He calls the death toll "unimaginable," and expects fatalities to near 100,000. The United Nations mission in Haiti is destroyed, 16 members of the UN peacekeeping force in Haiti are killed, and hundreds of UN employees are missing. (Jan. 14): International aid begins pouring in, and the scope of the damage caused by the quake highlights the urgent need to improve Haiti's crumbling infrastructure and lift it out of endemic poverty—the country is the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. (Jan. 19): Though the dead are going uncounted and unidentified in Haiti while authorities attempt to bury those killed during the earthquake and its aftermath, experts estimate a staggering death toll of 200,000 people.
Feb. 27, Chile: An 8.8 magnitude earthquake rocks Chile. Fatalities are relatively low, with some 750 people killed in the devastation. However, as many as 1.5 million people are displaced. The country, long known to be at high risk for earthquakes, has enforced strict building codes in urban areas, which helped to limit the amount of damage in these areas. But buildings and homes in poorer areas—many built with adobe—did not fare as well. Chile's electricity grids, communication, and transportation systems are badly damaged, severely hampering rescue and aid efforts. The epicenter of the quake was 70 miles northeast of Concepcion in central Chile. Massive waves continue to cause additional damage along the coast.
April 4, Mexico and Calif.: A 7.2 earthquake, centered in Mexico but felt for miles, shakes California and kills two. It is the strongest earthquake the state has experienced in 20 years. Though businesses and homes are reported damaged in cities and rural towns, because the epicenter was located in a remote area, most buildings remain standing.
April 14, China: A 7.1-magnitude earthquake strikes China's Qinghai Province, killing at least 400 people and injuring another 10,000. Many buildings and homes have collapsed, though since the area is less densely populated than the Sichuan Province, where the devastating 2008 earthquake occurred, the death toll and overall damage is expected to be lower.
April 14, Iceland:An explosion in the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland—which had erupted in late March and produced minimal seismic activity—resulted in a volcanic ash plume in the atmosphere over northern and central Europe. Air travel in the region was halted for several days, causing the cancellation of several thousand flights and disrupting the travel plans of millions of people. (Apr. 21): After millions of travelers have been stranded for days in Europe and North America, airports around the world begin operation again.
2011
Feb. 22, New Zealand:A 6.3-magnitude earthquake hits Christchurch, New Zealand, killing at least 75 people. The U.S. Geological Survey reports the earthquake is part of an aftershock sequence from a 7.1 earthquake that hit the same area last Sept.
March 7, Hawaii:The Kilauea Volcano, thought to be one of the most active in the world, erupts, spewing lava through new cracks. The eruption causes more than 150 detectable earthquakes in the area, but no damage is reported.
March 11, Japan:Japan is hit by an enormous earthquake that triggers a deadly 23-foot tsunami in the country's north. The earthquake, Japan's largest ever, hit about 230 miles northeast of Tokyo. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issues warnings for Russia, Taiwan, Hawaii, Indonesia, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and the west coasts the U.S., Mexico, Central America, and South America. Cooling systems in one of the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station fail shortly after the earthquake, causing a nuclear crisis.
March 24, Myanmar:A powerful earthquake strikes northeastern Myanmar, toppling homes and killing more than 70 people. Tremors from the earthquake are felt hundreds of miles away, in cities as far away as Bangkok and Hanoi.
Oct. 23, Turkey:An earthquake, measured at 7.2 in magnitude, strikes Turkey in Van Province, near the border of Iran. The death toll quickly rises to more than 360 and is expected to climb higher. Rescue teams work to find survivors in more than 2,260 buildings that collapsed from the earthquake. More than 1,300 are injured. Over 50 countries offer aid, including Israel, despite of strained relations between the two countries.
2012
May 20, Italy:A 6.0 magnitude earthquake hits the northern region of Emilia Romagna, killing at least five people. Dozens more are injured and many historic buildings are damaged. At least 3,000 people are left homeless. A 5.1 magnitude aftershock causes further damage to the region.
2013
April 20, China: A strong earthquake strikes southwestern China. At least 186 people are killed and around 8,200 people are injured. The earthquake causes mountainsides to collapse. Available drinking water becomes a problem following the earthquake. Reports conflict on the magnitude of the earthquake. China's Earthquake Networks Center reports that the earthquake was a 7.0 magnitude, while the U.S. Geological Survey puts it at 6.6.
Sept. 23, Pakistan: A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Baluchistan, an area of deserts and mountains in Pakistan. The earthquake causes hundreds of mud houses to collapse on residents. At least 327 people are killed. The earthquake is the worst in the country since 2005 and is felt throughout South Asia. Hundreds of soldiers from Pakistan's army are airlifted to help in the rescue effort. The earthquake hits Pakistan while the country is still in mourning over the deaths of more than 80 Christians in the suicide bombing of the All Saints Church in Peshawar.
Oct. 15, Philippines: A powerful earthquake hits the Philippines and kills at least 144 people. Nearly 300 more are injured. The quake also destroys one of the country's oldest churches and causes widespread damage. According to Renato Solidum, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the center of the earthquake hits near Carmen, a small town on Bohol Island. Solidum also explains the intensity of the earthquake in a statement, "A magnitude 7 earthquake has an energy equivalent to around 32 Hiroshima atomic bombs. This one had a magnitude of 7.2." Tremors from the earthquake reach all of the islands in the central Philippines, destroying several buildings, roads and bridges.
2014
Aug. 3, China: A 6.1 magnitude earthquake hits Ludian County, Yunnan, China. At least 617 people are killed and 2,400 others are injured. More than 12,000 houses are destroyed, while another 30,000 are damaged.
Feb. 20, western Aceh province, Indonesia: Earthquake with 7.5 magnitude kills three people and injures at least 25 more in near the western Aceh province of Indonesia.
May 12, China: over 67,000 people die and hundreds of thousands more are injured when a 7.9 magnitude earthquake strikes Sichuan, Gansu, and Yunnan Provinces in western China. Nearly 900 students were trapped when Juyuan Middle School in the Sichuan Province collapsed from the quake.
July 24, Japan: at least 90 people are injured and thousands of homes lose power when a 6.8 magnitude earthquake strikes 67 miles below the earth's surface in the region of Iwate.
Oct. 6, Kyrgyzstan: at least 70 people die, hundreds more are injured, and hundreds of homes are leveled when a 6.6 magnitude earthquake strikes the Osh region.
Oct. 29, Pakistan: a 6.4 magnitude earthquake hits southwestern Pakistan, killing at least 170 people and destroying over 15,000 homes.
Nov. 17, Indonesia: a 7.5 magnitude earthquake hits several miles off the coast of Indonesia, killing four people, injuring at least 60 more, and destroying thousands of homes.
2015
April 25, Nepal: A magnitude-7.8 earthquake strikes central Nepal, near the capital, Katmandu, killing nearly 4,000 people, injuring tens of thousands, and damaging or destroying thousands of structures, including the treasured Dharahara Tower and the temple complex Bhaktapur Durbar Square. It causes avalanches on Mt. Everest, which kills at least 17 people. The earthquake is felt throughout the country and affects others in Asia. Continuous aftershocks complicate rescue efforts and further traumatize a nation stunned by catastrophic loss. Nepal's rugged, mountainous terrain makes the search for survivors and attempts to deliver food and medical supplies to affected areas perilous endeavors. Seismologists have predicted an earthquake would hit Nepal, but the country was ill-prepared for a disaster of this scale.
May 12, Nepal: Another magnitude-7.8 earthquake hits Nepal just three weeks after the first one. At least 40 people are killed and well over 1,000 injured in the magnitude-7.8 earthquake, whose epicenter is about 50 miles east of Kathmandu.