The most devastating earthquakes of all time

On August 14, Haiti was struck with a 7.2-magnitude earthquake which left at least 1,297 people dead and more than 5,700 injured, according to CNN. Officials say the earthquake destroyed 13,694 homes and damaged another 13,785, with hospitals filled to the brink and vital roads blocked. The earthquake's epicenter was about 96 km (60 miles) west of the disastrous 2010 earthquake which had a 7.0 magnitude but was far more damaging. Haiti was still dealing with the fallout from that 2010 quake, along with COVID-19 and the assassination of their president last month, as this new disaster hit. Prime Minister Ariel Henry says right now medical needs are their biggest urgency.

Getty Images

2 / 26 Fotos

Tangshan, China (1976) - This 8.2 magnitude, 2.2 gigaton earthquake only lasted 10 seconds but caused an immense amount of damage. Around 225,000 people lost their lives in the disaster.

3 / 26 Fotos

Valdivia, Chile (1960) - The 1960 earthquake in Valdivia reached 9.4–9.6 on the Richter scale and left thousands dead, as well as causing hundreds of millions in damages.

4 / 26 Fotos

Shaanxi, China (1556) - With a magnitude of 8 on the Richter scale, this earthquake killed 830,000 people.

5 / 26 Fotos

Sumatra, Indonesia (2004) - This earthquake hit the Indian Ocean and registered a magnitude of 9.3 on the Richter scale. The quake generated a massive tsunami, which caused a devastating wave of destruction that left more than 225,000 people dead.

6 / 26 Fotos

Aleppo, Syria (1138) - This quake reached 8.5 on the Richter scale and was one of the worst disasters of the era. More than 230,000 people are thought to have died.

7 / 26 Fotos

Haiyuan County, China (1920) - This earthquake struck on December 16, 1920, in China's Ningxia Province, with a magnitude of between 7.8 and 8.5 on the Richter scale. According to reports, between 200,000 and 240,000 people died.

8 / 26 Fotos

Port-au-Prince, Haiti (2010) - This earthquake hit 7 on the Richter scale. The disaster had catastrophic consequences, leaving 316,000 people dead, 300,000 wounded, and one million people homeless.

9 / 26 Fotos

Xining, China (1927) - The city of Xining suffered a 7.9 magnitude earthquake on May 22, 1927. At least 40,000 people died, though according to some reports the number was higher.

10 / 26 Fotos

Damghan, Iran (856) -

This devastating earthquake hit on December 22, 856 CE, killing 200,000 people and sending shock waves that could be felt in neighboring cities.

Getty Images

11 / 26 Fotos

Tohoku, Japan (2011) - Considered one of the five most destructive earthquakes of all time, it was responsible for 15,878 deaths and left 6,126 wounded and 2,173 missing. After the earthquake, an enormous tsunami hit the Japanese coast.

12 / 26 Fotos

Kanto, Japan (1923) - This is the deadliest earthquake in Japan's history. With a magnitude of 7.9 on the Richter scale, it killed 93,000 people and left 44,000 missing.

13 / 26 Fotos

Ashgabat, Soviet Union (1948) - At 7.3 on the Richter scale, this earthquake caused 110 fatalities and a huge wave of destruction.

14 / 26 Fotos

Messina, Italy (1908) - This 7.1-magnitude quake was accompanied by a tsunami, which killed 200,000 people in the south of Italy.

15 / 26 Fotos

Chihli, China (1290) - Researchers estimate that this earthquake in China had a magnitude of around 9 on the Richter scale and resulted in the death of around 100,000 people.

16 / 26 Fotos

Sichuan, China (2008) - This huge earthquake in Sichuan province happened on May 12, 2008, and measured 7.9 on the Richter scale. The quake caused the death of nearly 70,000 people.

17 / 26 Fotos

Kashmir, Pakistan (2005) - With a magnitude of 7.6, this disaster in Pakistan resulted in an estimated 85,000 deaths and left more than 69,000 people wounded.

18 / 26 Fotos

Shamakhi, Azerbaijan (1667) -

Studies have estimated the earthquake to have had a magnitude of 6.9 and caused the deaths of more than 80,000 people.

Shutterstock

19 / 26 Fotos

Tabriz, Iran (1721) - Destroying mosques and schools, this earthquake in Iran killed more than 80,000 people and practically leveled the entire city.

20 / 26 Fotos

Lisbon, Portugal (1755) - Seismologists estimate that the earthquake was between 8.5 and 9 on the Richter scale. The ensuing chaos caused a deadly combination of fires and a tsunami that killed more than 100,000 people.

21 / 26 Fotos

Yungay, Peru (1970) -

This 8 magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale was the worst natural disaster to ever hit Peru, affecting three million people and causing 75,000 deaths.

Shutterstock

22 / 26 Fotos

Sicily, Italy (1693) - Considered the most devastating earthquake in Italian history, it registered at a magnitude of 7.4 on the Richter scale. It destroyed 70 cities, killing 60,000 people in southern Italy.

23 / 26 Fotos

Manjil and Rudbar, Iran (1990) - This quake destroyed 700 villages in the north of Iran and cost US$8 billion in damage, killing 40,000-50,000 people and injuring over 60,000, as well as leaving over 400,000 people homeless.

24 / 26 Fotos

Izmit, Turkey (1999) - This 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit northern Turkey and lasted just 3.7 seconds. The quake caused the deaths of 17,000 people and left 44,000 wounded.

25 / 26 Fotos

Nepal (2015) -

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, affecting a region between the capital of Kathmandu and the city of Pokhara. The devastation caused the deaths of almost 9,000 people and left up to 22,000 injured.

26 / 26 Fotos

The most devastating earthquakes of all time

At least one dead after Acapulco, Mexico's resort city, hit with 7-magnitude quake

08/09/21 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Natural disasters

Every year, thousands of tiny tremors are recorded all over the planet, some of which are so small that they go unnoticed. However, some earthquakes are remembered throughout history for being so destructive that they leave devastating consequences.

A powerful quake rippled through the Pacific resort city of Acapulco, Mexico, on the night of September 7, killing at least one person, NPR reports. The US Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7, and though it was centered around 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Acapulco, it caused buildings to rock and sway in Mexico City nearly 200 miles (321 km) away. One person was reportedly killed by a falling post in the town of Coyuca de Benitez near Acapulco. The mayor of Acapulco, Adela Román, said in statement that were were aftershocks, gas leaks, some landslides, fallen walls, and loss of electricity in some places, but other than that no serious damage.

Click through to see the highest magnitude earthquakes in history.