The following table lists the deadliest earthquakes on record according to date, location, number of deaths, and magnitude. On Jan. 23, 1556, an 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck Shansi, China killing 830,000 people.
| Date | Location | Deaths | Magnitude |
| Jan. 23, 1556 | Shansi, China | 830,000 | ~8 |
| July 27, 1976 | Tangshan, China | 255,0001 | 7.5 |
| Aug. 9, 1138 | Aleppo, Syria | 230,000 | n.a. |
| Dec. 26, 2004 | off west coast of northern Sumatra | 225,000+ | 9.0 |
| Dec. 22, 8562 | Damghan, Iran | 200,000 | n.a. |
| May 22, 1927 | near Xining, Tsinghai, China | 200,000 | 7.9 |
| Dec. 16, 1920 | Gansu, China | 200,000 | 7.8 |
| March 23, 8932 | Ardabil, Iran | 150,000 | n.a. |
| Sept. 1, 1923 | Kwanto, Japan | 143,000 | 7.9 |
| Oct. 5, 1948 | Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, USSR | 110,000 | 7.3 |
| Dec. 28, 1908 | Messina, Italy | 70,000– 100,0003 |
7.2 |
| Sept. 1290 | Chihli, China | 100,000 | n.a. |
| May 12, 2008 | Eastern Sichuan, China | 87,587 | 7.9 |
| Oct. 8, 2005 | Pakistan | 80,361 | 7.6 |
| Nov. 1667 | Shemakha, Caucasia | 80,000 | n.a. |
| Nov. 18, 1727 | Tabriz, Iran | 77,000 | n.a. |
| Dec. 25, 1932 | Gansu, China | 70,000 | 7.6 |
| Nov. 1, 1755 | Lisbon, Portugal | 70,000 | 8.7 |
| May 31, 1970 | Peru | 66,000 | 7.9 |
| May 30, 1935 | Quetta, Pakistan | 30,000– 60,000 |
7.5 |
| Jan. 11, 1693 | Sicily, Italy | 60,000 | n.a. |
| 12684 | Silicia, Asia Minor | 60,000 | n.a. |
| June 20, 1990 | Iran | 50,000 | 7.7 |
| Feb. 4, 1783 | Calabria, Italy | 50,000 | n.a. |
1. Official. Estimated death toll as high as 655,000.
2. Note that these dates are prior to A.D. 1000. No digit is missing.
3. Estimated.
4. No date available.
Source: National Earthquake Information Center, U.S. Geological Survey. Data compiled from several sources.
The Ten Largest1 Earthquakes Since 1900
Below is a list of the largest earthquakes on record in the world. Magnitude, date, and location are also given.
| Location | Date | Magnitude2 | |
| 1. | Chile | May 22, 1960 | 9.5 |
| 2. | Prince William Sound, Alaska | March 28, 19643 | 9.2 |
| 3. | Andreanof Islands, Aleutian Islands | March 9, 1957 | 9.1 |
| 4. | Kamchatka | Nov. 4, 1952 | 9.0 |
| 5. | Off western coast of Sumatra, Indonesia | Dec. 26, 2004 | 9.0 |
| 6. | Off the coast of Ecuador | Jan. 31, 1906 | 8.8 |
| 7. | Offshore Maule, Chile | Feb. 27, 2010 | 8.8 |
| 8. | Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands | Feb. 4, 1965 | 8.7 |
| 9. | Northern Sumatra, Indonesia | March 28, 2005 | 8.7 |
| 10. | India-China border | Aug. 15, 1950 | 8.6 |
1. In terms of magnitude.
2. Moment magnitude.
3. March 28, 03:36:14 UT (March 27, 5:36 P.M. local time)
Source: National Earthquake Information Center, U.S. Geological Survey.
