High Death Toll, Large Magnitude: A List Of The Deadliest Earthquakes In The 21st Century

Last Updated:September 02, 2025, 00:24 IST

From the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake-tsunami to the more recent Turkey-Syria quakes in 2023, there are many quakes that have caused large-scale devastation

A man walks past a damaged house following earthquakes in the Mazar Dara village of Afghanistan on September 1. (Image: Wakil Kohsar/AFP)

An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 on the Richter Scale destroyed a number of villages in Afghanistan, killing at least 800 and leaving 2,500 injured on Sunday.

According to the Taliban government, the earthquake hit towns in the province of Kunar, near the city of Jalalabad in neighbouring Nangarhar province. The US Geological Survey said it was only 8 km deep as shallower quakes tend to cause more damage due to several aftershocks.

The last big quake to hit Afghanistan measured 6.3 in magnitude on October 7, 2023. The Taliban government had estimated at least 4,000 people perished in that.

Earthquakes have frequently rattled Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan in the last five years. In 2025 alone, apart from the latest, six quakes measuring 5 and above in magnitude have hit this area.

The latest will be counted as one among many catastrophic quakes worldwide in the last 10 years. But there have been many such tragedies since the beginning of the 21st century — from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake-tsunami to the more recent Turkey-Syria quakes — in terms of scale as each will be remembered for the high cost of lives and livelihoods.

In recorded history, the deadliest earthquake in terms of fatalities was the 1556 Shaanxi earthquake in China with an estimated 8,30,000 lives lost. Its magnitude, however, is not as well-documented, which makes the 1960 earthquake in Chile – measuring 9.5 on the Richter Scale – as the largest magnitude wise. For a combined cause-and-effect situation in terms of fatalities and magnitude, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake – 9.1 in magnitude – stands out as the one of history’s deadliest disasters with 2,27,000 deaths as a result of the massive tsunami.

Here’s a breakdown:

BY DEATH TOLL

2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami: The second largest earthquake ever to be recorded on December 26, 2004 – measuring 9.1 on the Richter Scale – took place under the sea in the Indian Ocean and caused a devastating tsunami the likes of which has not been seen in recent times. Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand were the most affected. Death toll estimates across 14 countries range between 2,30,000 and 2,80,000.

2010 Haiti Earthquake: The 7.0-magnitude quake struck Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince on January 12, 2010. Death toll estimates range from 1,00,000 to 1,60,000 to 2,20,000 (official estimates vary).

2005 Kashmir Earthquake: On October 8, 2005, an 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck the mountainous border area of India and Pakistan, affecting Balakot in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and parts of Jammu and Kashmir. It was also felt in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, other parts of India, and Xinjiang region. The death toll is estimated to be 86,000. It caused widespread landslides and severe damage to vital infrastructure even as millions were left homeless.

2023 Turkey-Syria Earthquake: A 7.8-magnitude quake, which was followed by an aftershock measuring 7.5 on the Richter Scale, struck Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023. It was especially devastating as it was during the cold winter season and is now counted as the worst disaster in modern Turkish history. The combined death toll from both countries was estimated to be 59,000.

2015 Nepal Earthquake: With an estimated death toll of 9,000, the 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Nepal’s capital Kathmandu on April 25, 2015. It destroyed cultural heritage sites, as well as triggered landslides and avalanches including on Mount Everest.

BY MAGNITUDE

2011 Tōhoku Earthquake in Japan: Similar to the 2004 Indian Ocean, this one also measured 9.1 on the Richter Scale, triggering tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear disaster. It was the most powerful earthquake in Japan’s history with a death toll estimated at 20,000.

2010 Chile Earthquake: Chile is already on the map for the most powerful earthquake recorded in history in 1960, which measured 9.5 on the Richter Scale. In 2010, it was struck by an 8.8-magnitude quake that caused an estimated 500 deaths. The resulting tsunami reached across the Pacific and caused large-scale damage.

2005 Sumatra Earthquake in Indonesia: Measuring 8.6 on the Richter Scale, this quake has been recorded as a major aftershock of the 2004 tsunami earthquake. While it did not cause a tsunami, it resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,300 people.

2001 Peru Earthquake: With a magnitude of 8.4, this quake affected southern Peru, especially Arequipa, and caused a tsunami and an estimated 100 deaths.

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