Lists of 21st-century earthquakes
The following is a summary of significant earthquakes during the 21st century. In terms of fatalities, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was the most destructive event with 227,898 confirmed fatalities, followed by the 2010 Haiti earthquake with about 160,000 fatalities,[2] the 2008 Sichuan earthquake with 87,587 fatalities, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake with 87,351 fatalities, and the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes with at least 59,488 fatalities.

The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami became the costliest natural disaster, resulting in approximately $360 billion in property damage at the time, followed by the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes and the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, which resulted in $163.6 billion and $150 billion in damage, respectively.
List of deadliest earthquakes
Rank | Fatalities | Magnitude | Location | Event | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 227,898 | 9.1 -9.2 | ![]() |
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami | December 26, 2004 |
2 | 160,000[3] | 7.0 | ![]() |
2010 Haiti earthquake | January 12, 2010 |
3 | 87,587 | 7.9 | ![]() |
2008 Sichuan earthquake | May 12, 2008 |
4 | 87,351 | 7.6 | ![]() |
2005 Kashmir earthquake | October 8, 2005 |
5 | 62,013 | 7.8 | ![]() ![]() |
2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes | February 6, 2023 |
6 | 34,000[4] | 6.6 | ![]() |
2003 Bam earthquake | December 26, 2003 |
7 | 20,085 | 7.7 | ![]() |
2001 Gujarat earthquake | January 26, 2001 |
8 | 19,759 | 9.0–9.1 | ![]() |
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami | March 11, 2011 |
9 | 8,964 | 7.8 | ![]() |
2015 Nepal earthquake | April 25, 2015 |
10 | 5,782 | 6.4 | ![]() |
2006 Yogyakarta earthquake | May 26, 2006 |
11 | 4,340 | 7.5 | ![]() |
2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami | September 28, 2018 |
12 | 2,960 | 6.8 | ![]() |
2023 Al Haouz earthquake | September 8, 2023 |
13 | 2,698 | 6.9 | ![]() |
2010 Yushu earthquake | April 13, 2010 |
14 | 2,266 | 6.8 | ![]() |
2003 Boumerdès earthquake | May 21, 2003 |
15 | 2,248 | 7.2 | ![]() |
2021 Haiti earthquake | August 14, 2021 |
16 | 1,482[5] | 6.3 | ![]() |
2023 Herat earthquakes | October 7, 2023 |
17 | 1,313 | 8.6 | ![]() |
2005 Nias–Simeulue earthquake | March 28, 2005 |
18 | 1,200[6] | 6.1 | ![]() |
2002 Hindu Kush earthquakes | March 25, 2002 |
19 | 1,163 | 6.0 | ![]() ![]() |
June 2022 Afghanistan earthquake | June 21, 2022 |
20 | 1,115 | 7.6 | ![]() |
2009 Sumatra earthquakes | September 30, 2009 |
- Note: At least 1,000+ fatalities
List of largest earthquakes by magnitude
Rank | Magnitude[7] | Event | Location | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 9.1–9.3 | 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake | ![]() |
December 26, 2004 |
2 | 9.0–9.1 | 2011 Tōhoku earthquake | ![]() |
March 11, 2011 |
3 | 8.8 | 2010 Chile earthquake | ![]() |
February 27, 2010 |
4 | 8.6 | 2005 Nias–Simeulue earthquake | ![]() |
March 28, 2005 |
4 | 8.6 | 2012 Indian Ocean earthquakes | ![]() |
April 11, 2012 |
5 | 8.5 | September 2007 Sumatra earthquakes | ![]() |
September 12, 2007 |
- Note: At least 8.5+ magnitude
List of costliest earthquakes
Note:This only ranks immediate costs, for example, nuclear meltdown and climate and fossil fuel costs, as well as other ongoing costs from quakes are not included.
Rank | Event | Location | Magnitude | Historic cost (year) | Adjusted for inflation (year) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami | ![]() |
9.1[8] | $235 billion (2011)[9] | $320.4 billion (2023) |
2 | 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake | ![]() ![]() |
7.8 and 7.7 Mw | $163.3 billion (2023)[10][11] | $163.3 billion (2023) |
3 | 2008 Sichuan earthquake | ![]() |
8.0 Ms | $150 billion (2008)[12] | $212.3 billion (2023) |
4 | 2010 Canterbury earthquake | ![]() |
7.0 | $40 billion (2010)[13] | $56.2 billion (2023) |
5 | 2004 Chūetsu earthquake | ![]() |
6.8 | $28 billion (2004)[14][15] | $45.1 billion (2024) |
6 | 2011 Sikkim earthquake | ![]() |
6.9 | $22.3 billion (2011)[16] | $30.2 billion (2024) |
7 | 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes | ![]() |
7.0 | $24-46 billion (2016)[17] | $30.5-58.4 billion (2024) |
8 | 2024 Noto earthquake | ![]() |
7.5 | $17.6 billion (2024)[18] | $17.6 billion (2024) |
9 | 2009 L'Aquila earthquake | ![]() |
6.3 | $16 billion (2009)[19] | $22.7 billion (2024) |
10 | 2012 Northern Italy earthquakes | ![]() |
6.1[20] | $15.8 billion (2012)[21] | $20.9 billion (2024) |
Deadliest earthquakes by year
These are the deadliest earthquakes per year[22]
Year | Total fatalities | Deadliest earthquake | Fatalities | Magnitude | Location | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | 21,357 | 2001 Gujarat earthquake | 20,085 | 7.7 | ![]() |
January 26 |
2002 | 2,693 | 2002 Hindu Kush earthquakes | 1,200 | 6.1 | ![]() |
March 25 |
2003 | 36,832 | 2003 Bam earthquake | 34,000 | 6.6 | ![]() |
December 26 |
2004 | 228,755 | 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami | 227,898 | 9.1–9.3 | ![]() |
December 26 |
2005 | 87,992 | 2005 Kashmir earthquake | 87,351 | 7.6 | ![]() |
October 8 |
2006 | 6,605 | 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake | 5,782 | 6.4 | ![]() |
May 26 |
2007 | 708 | 2007 Peru earthquake | 595 | 8.0 | ![]() |
August 15 |
2008 | 88,708 | 2008 Sichuan earthquake | 87,587 | 7.9 | ![]() |
May 12 |
2009 | 1,790 | 2009 Sumatra earthquakes | 1,115 | 7.6 | ![]() |
September 30 |
2010 | 164,627 | 2010 Haiti earthquake | 160,000 | 7.0 | ![]() |
January 12 |
2011 | 21,492 | 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami | 19,759 | 9.0–9.1 | ![]() |
March 11 |
2012 | 689 | 2012 East Azerbaijan earthquakes | 306 | 6.4 | ![]() |
August 11 |
2013 | 1,572 | 2013 Balochistan earthquakes | 825 | 7.7 | ![]() |
September 24 |
2014 | 756 | 2014 Ludian earthquake | 729 | 6.1 | ![]() |
August 3 |
2015 | 9,624 | 2015 Nepal earthquake | 8,964 | 7.8 | ![]() |
April 25 |
2016 | 1,339 | 2016 Ecuador earthquake | 673 | 7.8 | ![]() |
April 16 |
2017 | 1,232 | 2017 Iran–Iraq earthquake | 630 | 7.3 | ![]() |
November 12 |
2018 | 5,239 | 2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami | 4,340 | 7.5 | ![]() |
September 28 |
2019 | 288 | 2019 Albania earthquake | 51 | 6.4 | ![]() |
November 26 |
2020 | 207 | 2020 Aegean Sea earthquake | 119 | 7.0 | ![]() ![]() |
October 30 |
2021 | 2,494 | 2021 Haiti earthquake | 2,248 | 7.2 | ![]() |
August 14 |
2022 | 1,775–2,075 | June 2022 Afghanistan earthquake | 1,163 | 6.2 | ![]() ![]() |
June 21 |
2023 | 66,872 | 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes | 62,013 | 7.8 | ![]() ![]() |
February 6 |
2024 | 276 | 2024 Noto earthquake | 245 | 7.5 | ![]() |
January 1 |
Largest earthquakes by year
These are the largest earthquakes by magnitude per year[7]
Year | Magnitude | Deaths | Event | Location | Date | total M7+ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | 8.4 | 145 | 2001 southern Peru earthquake | ![]() |
June 23 | ![]() |
2002 | 7.9 | 0 | 2002 Denali earthquake | ![]() |
November 3 | ![]() |
2003 | 8.3 | 0 | 2003 Tokachi earthquake | ![]() |
September 25 | ![]() |
2004 | 9.1–9.3 | 227,898 | 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami | ![]() |
December 26 | ![]() |
2005 | 8.6 | 1,313 | 2005 Nias–Simeulue earthquake | ![]() |
March 28 | ![]() |
2006 | 8.3 | 0 | 2006 Kuril Islands earthquake | ![]() |
November 15 | ![]() |
2007 | 8.5 | 23 | September 2007 Sumatra earthquakes | ![]() |
September 12 | ![]() |
2008 | 7.9 | 87,587 | 2008 Sichuan earthquake | ![]() |
May 12 | ![]() |
2009 | 8.1 | 192 | 2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami | ![]() |
September 29 | ![]() |
2010 | 8.8 | 525 | 2010 Chile earthquake | ![]() |
February 27 | ![]() |
2011 | 9.0–9.1 | 19,759 | 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami | ![]() |
March 11 | ![]() |
2012 | 8.6 | 10 | 2012 Indian Ocean earthquakes | ![]() |
April 11 | ![]() |
2013 | 8.3 | 0 | 2013 Okhotsk Sea earthquake | ![]() |
May 24 | ![]() |
2014 | 8.2 | 6 | 2014 Iquique earthquake | ![]() |
April 1 | ![]() |
2015 | 8.3 | 14 | 2015 Illapel earthquake | ![]() |
September 16 | ![]() |
2016 | 7.9 | 0 | 2016 Solomon Islands earthquakes | ![]() |
December 17 | ![]() |
2017 | 8.2 | 98 | 2017 Chiapas earthquake | ![]() |
September 8 | ![]() |
2018 | 8.2 | 0 | 2018 Fiji earthquakes | ![]() |
August 19 | ![]() |
2019 | 8.0 | 2 | 2019 Peru earthquake | ![]() |
May 26 | ![]() |
2020 | 7.8 | 0 | July 2020 Alaska Peninsula earthquake | ![]() |
July 22 | ![]() |
2021 | 8.2 | 0 | 2021 Chignik earthquake | ![]() |
July 29 | ![]() |
2022 | 7.6 | 2 | 2022 Michoacán earthquake | ![]() |
September 19 | ![]() |
21 | 2022 Papua New Guinea earthquake | ![]() |
September 10 | |||
2023 | 7.8 | 62,013 | 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes | ![]() ![]() |
February 6 | ![]() |
2024 | 7.5 | 242 | 2024 Noto earthquake | ![]() |
January 1 | ![]() |
Lists of earthquakes by decade
- List of earthquakes 2001–2010
- List of earthquakes 2011–2020
- List of earthquakes 2021–2030
Gallery
- 21st-century earthquakes gallery
- The 2001 Gujarat earthquake occurred in a part of India with relatively low seismicity, devastating the cities of Anjar and Bhuj.
- The 2003 Bam earthquake destroyed several historic landmarks, including a citadel.
- The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami is one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent history.
- The 2005 Kashmir earthquake destroyed several towns, and caused extensive damage and landslides as far as the Pakistani capital Islamabad.
- The 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake was a fairly moderate event, but caused widespread damage across eastern Java.
- The 2007 Peru earthquake caused severe damage in the city of Pisco, and was the deadliest in the country since 1970.
- The 2008 Sichuan earthquake was the costliest earthquake in Chinese history, with over $150 billion USD.
- The 2010 Haiti earthquake was the most destructive compared to its magnitude, due to poorly constructed buildings and the earthquake's proximity to the capital Port-au-Prince.
- The 2011 Christchurch earthquake was a shallow event and very close to the city, resulting in extensive damage to population centers.
- The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami caused a nuclear meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant, resulting in the costliest natural disaster of all time.
- The 2012 East Azerbaijan earthquakes severely affected 150 villages and killed hundreds of people.
- The 2015 Nepal earthquake caused extensive damage in Kathmandu and triggered the deadliest avalanche on Mount Everest.
- The 2021 Haiti earthquake was the country's largest earthquake in its modern history.
- The June 2022 Afghanistan earthquake caused severe destruction and many villages were destroyed.
- The 2022 West Java earthquake killed hundreds and destroyed tens of thousands of houses, despite its moderate magnitude.
- The 2023 Al Haouz earthquake was one of the deadliest and the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in modern-day Morocco.
See also
Earth sciences portal
- Lists of 20th-century earthquakes
- List of historical earthquakes
- Lists of earthquakes
Notes
References
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- Kolbe, Athena R.; Hutson, Royce A.; Shannon, Harry; Trzcinski, Eileen; Miles, Bart; Levitz, Naomi; Puccio, Marie; James, Leah; Roger Noel, Jean; Muggah, Robert (2010). "Mortality, crime and access to basic needs before and after the Haiti earthquake: a random survey of Port-au-Prince households". Medicine, Conflict and Survival. 26 (4): 281–297. doi:10.1080/13623699.2010.535279. PMID 21314081. S2CID 26000167.
- Kolbe, Athena R.; Hutson, Royce A.; Shannon, Harry; Trzcinski, Eileen; Miles, Bart; Levitz, Naomi; Puccio, Marie; James, Leah; Roger Noel, Jean; Muggah, Robert (2010). "Mortality, crime and access to basic needs before and after the Haiti earthquake: a random survey of Port-au-Prince households". Medicine, Conflict and Survival. 26 (4): 281–297. doi:10.1080/13623699.2010.535279. PMID 21314081. S2CID 26000167.
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- ISC 2022.
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