Honorable Mentions:
The Aleppo Earthquake of 1138 claimed as many as 230,000 lives, making it one of the deadliest earthquakes in history. Luckily, tremors leading up to the major earthquake caused many local residents to flee into the countryside. Otherwise, the casualties would have been worse, and fewer people would have been left to rebuild the city. This earthquake only fails to make the list because the city of Aleppo was somewhat quickly rebuilt and remains a major city in modern-day Northern Syria.
The 1976 Tangshan earthquake is likely the deadliest earthquake in history, with as many as 780,000 people have perished. The Chinese government initially reported that 650,000 people had died, but later revised it down to about 250,000. Either way, the earthquake claimed a huge number of lives.
The first Tangshan earthquake occurred in the early morning of July 28th The 7.8 magnitude quake reduced much of Tangshan to rubble. Some 16 hours later, another 7.1 earthquake struck, causing even more damage and hampering rescue efforts. Tangshan has since rebuilt, but it’s a stark reminder that earthquakes still remain a threat.
The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake was the deadliest quake in United States history. These days, San Francisco and the nearby Silicon Valley are the global hub for the tech industry. Yet the city is built on a major fault line. In 1906, a 7.9 magnitude quake struck the city, causing numerous buildings to collapse and fires to quickly spread. While the earthquake was the first domino to fall, it was actually the resulting fires that did most of the damage. Much of San Francisco and many nearby towns were destroyed.
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and resulting tsunami is also a stark reminder that human civilization is still vulnerable today. On December 26 a massive 9.3 earthquake struck in the Indian Ocean. While buildings in far away cities were shaken, damage from the earthquake itself was minimal. However, the quake sent water barreling towards the coasts in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand (among others).
When the fast-moving water reached the costs, it built up into a huge tsunami wave, as high as 100 feet in some places. These waves swept over beaches and through low-lying areas, killing as many as 280,000 people.
Even with recent advances in technology, the list of deadly natural disasters will only continue to grow.
Sources For Further Reading:
History Collection – Historic Disasters That Were Way Worse Than People Think
History Collection – Ten Worst Volcanic Eruptions of the 20th Century
History Collection – A Volcano Erupted and Only the Most Hated Man in the Town Survived
EOS – Severe Drought May Have Helped Hasten Ancient Maya’s Collapse