E-Paper
Sign In
From Venezuela to Indonesia: 10 deadliest earthquakes in recent years
As rescue efforts begin to wind down in Venezuela, let us take a look back on the deadliest earthquakes the world has witnessed in the 21st century
- PUBLISHED: Mon 6 Jul 2026, 12:20 PM
As the death toll from Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes continue to rise, the disaster has once again highlighted the immense human cost of major seismic disasters.
Over 3,300 people have been confirmed dead, with thousands more displaced and forced to seek shelters in temporary camps. As rescue efforts begin to wind down, let us take a look back on the deadliest earthquakes the world has witnessed in recent years.
1. Venezuela, 2026
Recommended For You
Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes killed 3,342 and injured 16,700, updated official figures showed on Sunday, July 5, as international rescue teams began winding down search operations for survivors in the rubble of the disaster.
Fatalities jumped by more than 300 from July 3 to 2,954, following the June 24 disaster that has left thousands homeless in the streets and sheltering in camps.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
2. Afghanistan, September 2025
At least 2,205 people have been killed in two earthquakes that hit Afghanistan in September 2025.
One of Afghanistan's worst earthquakes, with a magnitude of 6, struck around midnight local time on September 1, 2025, at a shallow depth of 10 km (6 miles).
3. Myanmar, March 2025
A powerful earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28, 2025, with tremors felt as far as Bangkok. The disaster claimed 1,700 lives and injured more than 3,000 people, causing widespread destruction across affected areas.
4. Turkey-Syria, February 2023
A catastrophic 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6, 2023, becoming one of the deadliest disasters of the 21st century. More than 59,000 people lost their lives, as entire neighbourhoods collapsed, leaving millions displaced across both countries.
5. Nepal, 2015
The 7.8-magnitude Gorkha earthquake struck Nepal on April 25, 205, killing 8,962 people and injuring 21,952. The quake also caused fatalities and extensive damage in India, China and Bangladesh, while triggering deadly avalanches in the Himalayas.
6. Japan, 2011
The 9.0-magnitude Great East Japan earthquake struck on March 11, 2011, lasting about six minutes, and resulted in 19, 759 deaths. The powerful undersea quake triggered a massive tsunami that devastated Japan's northeastern coast and caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
7. Haiti, 2010
A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. While estimates vary, the quake is believed to have killed between 100,000 and more than 200,000 people, making it the deadliest natural disaster to affect a single country in the 21st century.
The Haitian government estimated the death toll to range from 220,000 to 316,000, although these figures are a matter of some dispute.
8. China, 2008
A 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck China's Sichuan province on May 12, 2008, killing 87, 587 people and injuring kore than 374,000.
9. Pakistan, 2005
A powerful earthquake struck Azad Jammu and Kashmir, region administered by Pakistan, on October 8, 2005. Official estimates put the death toll at betweenn73,276 and 87,350, with some estimates being as high as over 100,000 dead. In India, 1,360 people were killed, while 6,266 people were injured, while four others died in Afghanistan. Nearly three and a half million people were left without shelter, and approximately 138,000 people were injured in the quake
10. Indonesia, 2004
The 9.3-magnitude earthquake in Sumatra, Indonesia, on December 6, 2024 triggered a devastating Indian Ocean tsunami that swept across more than a dozen countries, killing 227, 898 people and injuring over 125,000.
