From a scientific standpoint, earthquakes refer to the shaking of the Earth’s surface caused by its outermost layer — the crust — made up of constantly moving tectonic plates. These plates are made of rough rocks — hence why they don’t usually slide past each other that “smoothly.” But, when the plates do suddenly move, the results are seen in the form of earthquakes.
According to earthquake statistics and reports, the effects of this phenomenon could range from subtle tremors to violent shaking. A disastrous earthquake can, in fact, damage land and buildings, destroy power lines, and cause massive tsunamis.
Interestingly, an earthquake is considered a common phenomenon as it always happens somewhere, every day. On a yearly basis, USGS detects about half a million earthquakes worldwide.
We could go on and on about the extensive definition of this natural disaster but we prefer presenting you with stats and figures to better understand how dangerous earthquakes can be. So, read on to learn more about this subject and become better prepared when they do, in fact, occur.
Most Noteworthy Earthquake Stats and Facts (Editor’s Pick):
- Japan and Indonesia are the two countries with the highest number of earthquakes.
- The deadliest earthquake of all time hit China back in 1556, killing around 830,000 people.
- Approximately 20,000 people are killed every year by earthquakes.
- There are over 500 active faults in California and most of its residents live within 30 miles of an active fault.
- 16 major earthquakes, of the magnitude 7 range, occur each year.
World Earthquake Statistics
The world’s greatest earthquake zone, the Circum-Pacific Seismic Belt, is found along the Pacific Ocean rim, where about 81% of the world’s largest earthquakes occur.
Famously known as the Ring of Fire, this belt exists along the tectonic plate’s boundary, where most oceanic crust plates are subducting beneath another plate. Slip and rupture between plates cause earthquakes in these subduction regions.
Modern science still hasn’t created a sure way of predicting earthquakes.
According to USGS, no scientists have ever forecasted a major earthquake. This is one of the most falsified facts about earthquakes. Scientists can only gauge the possibility that a substantial earthquake will happen in a particular area within specific years.
An earthquake prediction should describe 3 elements:
- the location
- the date and time
- the magnitude
The biggest damages from earthquakes come from the severity of the shaking. The dislodged manmade and natural structures may cause harm and kill people.
Events in the past have shown that sometimes significant earthquakes cause minor earthquake fatalities and destruction because the manmade structures were designed to withstand earthquakes. On the contrary, many slighter earthquakes can cause structures to collapse if they weren’t built to survive earthquakes. The severe shaking then can lead to higher earthquake fatalities.
The most severe earthquake recorded in the US, with a magnitude of 9.2, took place in Prince William Sound, Alaska on Good Friday, on March 28, 1964.
In the morning hours of March 28, 1964, the greatest recorded earthquake in American history hit Alaska, Prince William Sound. With a destructive 9.2 Mw magnitude and consequent tsunamis, coastal communities were ravaged and more than 139 lives were lost.
The greatest earthquake ever recorded shook Chile on May 22, 1960, with a magnitude of 9.5 Mw.
On May 22, 1960, the greatest earthquake in history hit southern Chile (magnitude 9.5). It struck near Valdivia with the most powerful temblor in recorded history. The earthquake left around 2 million people homeless.
In 1556 central China was struck by an earthquake that is the deadliest ever to be recorded in history. The bigger part of the region’s population lived in caves carved from soft rock. The caves collapsed and killed around 830,000 people.
The earthquake projected at magnitude 8 hit China’s Shaanxi region and neighboring province to the east on January 23, 1556, injuring and killing around 830,000 people. This massive loss of life reduced the two provinces’ population by almost 60%.
In 1976 another deadly earthquake struck in Tangshan, China, where more than 250,000 people were killed.
The interior of Antarctica has icequakes, which, although they are much smaller, are perhaps more frequent than earthquakes in that region.
Earthquake facts show that quakes also happen in Antarctica, but not as frequently. There have been some major quakes, such as the magnitude 8 earthquake in the Balleny Islands. However, icequakes are much more prevalent.
They are similar to earthquakes but happen within ice sheets instead of the land beneath the ice. Polar observers claim they can hear icequakes and some have even seen them on the South Pole seismograph station. However, they are much too trivial to be witnessed on many stations.
Japan and Indonesia are the two countries with the highest number of earthquakes.
(Source: USGS)
Both countries are said to be located in a highly active seismic area. Moreover, Japan has such an advanced seismic network that it can detect more earthquakes than any other country on the planet. Indonesia, on the other hand, experiences more earthquakes simply due to it being larger (in size) than Japan.
Approximately 20,000 people are killed every year by this natural phenomenon, earthquake statistics reveal.
(Source: Business Insider)
This high death toll is often caused by a lack of general preparation for this type of natural phenomenon. The fact that it’s impossible to detect earthquakes beforehand only adds to this notion. Although we can’t know for sure when such a disaster will occur, we can determine which countries are more at risk than others.
A new mapping project — 10 years in the making — found that Japan, China, Philippines, Iran, and Indonesia, are among the 15 countries that could be labeled as dangerous earthquake locations.
San Andreas and five other fault lines in the US could threaten imminent disaster.
(Source: Wired)
The San Andreas fault zone sits between the North American plate to the east and the Pacific tectonic plate to the west. It has been the focus of several reports; particularly so when experts forecasted that it could trigger a destructive earthquake in California by 2030.
Nevertheless, there are five other scary fault lines to keep an eye on in the US — Cascadia Subduction Zone, New Madrid Seismic Zone, Ramapo Seismic Zone, Hayward Fault, and Denali Fault System.
US Earthquake Data and Statistics
Out of all the earthquakes in the US (from 1990 to 1999), there were only 68 reported deaths.
(Source: USGS)
The numbers look even brighter if we look at data gathered between 2000 and 2012 which only shows two deaths overall; the intensity, or the magnitude, of the earthquake plays a significant role in this, as revealed by our next stat:
The US often experiences earthquakes with a magnitude of 5–5.9.
(Source: USGS)
In 1996 alone, the US had 100 earthquakes of this magnitude. Earthquake statistics since 1900 show that there isn’t a huge discrepancy in the number of US earthquakes either by size or extent. 6–6.9 magnitude quakes were quite rare, except for the year 1992 wherein the country experienced a total of 15 quakes of this magnitude.
The deadliest earthquake in the US can be traced back to 1906.
(Source: History)
The magnitude 7.9 quake happened in San Francisco, California, and destroyed most brick buildings and wooden Victorian structures. Nearly 30,000 buildings were damaged and 3,000 people were killed, according to earthquake death statistics from this period. Reports also revealed that numerous fires broke out following the earthquake; there was no steady water supply at the time so firestorms developed within the city causing devastating damage.
There are over 500 active faults in California and most residents live within 30 miles of an active fault.
(Source: CEA & CA.Gov)
There are 15,700 known faults in The Sunshine State, but only 500+ are active, according to experts. So, how often does California have earthquakes, you may ask?
Reports found that every year the state experiences up to three earthquakes with a 5.5 magnitude or higher — which is powerful enough to cause moderate property damage.
Looking at earthquake counts as of 2016, it’s quite surprising that Alaska leads the pack with thousands of earthquakes recorded since 2010. Meanwhile, California comes in second with 546 earthquakes in 2010 alone.
Haitian Earthquake Statistics
A 7.0 magnitude quake struck near Port au Prince, Haiti, taking more than 200,000 lives and an equal amount of houses.
(Source: DEC)
A massive earthquake was the last thing Haitians wanted to happen back in 2010. Nevertheless, when the quake struck, it was one of the most devastating disasters that the country had ever witnessed.
Over 3 million people have been affected and more than half of them became homeless. Additionally, 60% of government buildings and 80% of schools in Port au Prince were destroyed, according to the Haiti earthquake 2010 data.
The 2010 Haiti earthquake ranks 5th in the top 10 deadliest earthquakes in history.
(Source: OurWorldInData)
Tsunamis have been reported in several areas in Haiti — Leogane, Luly, Petit Goave, Les Cayes, Jacmel, Petit Paradis, and Anse a Galets. Official estimates also revealed that there were 300,000 people injured following the unfortunate event.
The UN led the humanitarian aid relief for Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.
(Source: Britannica)
Several country leaders and people around the world agreed that Haiti experienced one of the worst natural disasters on the planet. To help the country in ruins, numerous doctors, supplies, and relief workers were sent in the wake of the temblor.
The US military provided support in the form of logistics coordination and equipment to maintain order in Haiti. The Assessing Progress in Haiti Act was also established in 2014 to create a three-year plan for the reconstruction of Haiti.
Nepal Earthquake Statistics
Nepal was struck by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake on April 25, 2015, which resulted in 9,000 deaths and 600,000 destroyed homes.
(Source: World Vision)
The temblor toppled multi-story buildings in the capital of Nepal — Kathmandu City. Following the earthquake, there were hundreds of aftershocks recorded and just 17 days after the initial quake, another one struck with a magnitude of 7.3. It was indeed one of the deadliest natural disasters to ever hit the country, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents in extreme poverty.
The UN and other humanitarian organizations requested $432 million for relief efforts.
(Source: UN Dispatch)
Over 300 humanitarian agencies worked together to implement thousands of activities to rebuild Kathmandu and other affected areas. The UK was the largest donor, providing $31 million for the relief efforts. China was a close second with $22 million, according to earthquake statistics. Meanwhile, Norway and The USA donated $19 million and $15 million, respectively.
The 2015 Nepal earthquake was felt in some areas of northern India, northwestern Bangladesh, the southern plateau of Tibet, and western Bhutan.
(Source: Britannica)
The reported cause of the earthquake, and the subsequent aftershocks, was none other than thrust faulting in the Indus-Yarlung suture zone; Nepal is located on the boundaries of two massive tectonic plates — the Indo-Australian and Asian plates — which have already collided once before and formed the famous Himalayan Mountain Range.
Japan Earthquake Statistics
One of the largest recorded quakes in the world happened in Japan back in 2011.
(Source: CNN)
A 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck Japan on March 11, 2011, which, later on, set off a 30-foot wave tsunami hitting the coast of Japan. Both the earthquake and the tsunami left the region with $300 billion worth of material damages (25 trillion yen).
The massive Japan Earthquake also caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster wherein more than 100,000 people were evacuated to prevent radiation sickness and even more deaths.
18.5% of the world’s earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 or higher happened in Japan from 2003 to 2013.
(Source: Nippon.com)
However, this country isn’t a site for deadly earthquakes alone. There are actual reports showing that some of the world’s worst natural disasters happened in Japan. 9% of meteorological disasters (floods, typhoons, etc.) and 16% of earthquakes/tsunamis occurred in the Land of the Rising Sun since 1990.
Chiba City in the Tokyo capital region has the highest probability of having a massive earthquake at 85%.
(Source: Real Estate Japan Inc.)
Yokohama comes in a close second with 82%, followed by Mito (in Ibaraki Prefecture) at 81%. This is based on Japan’s National Earthquake Forecast Map which can predict the probability of a major quake in the next 30 years. According to the Japanese government, you won’t find a place in Japan with zero probability of having a lower level (6) earthquake.
Chinese Earthquake Statistics
The deadliest earthquake of all time hit China back in 1556, killing 830,000 people.
(Source: History)
January 23, 1556, China was rocked by a magnitude 8 tremor — not the strongest one on record but it resulted in horrific deaths. The quake happened late evening and struck the Shaanxi province — a densely populated area back then with poorly constructed buildings. The neighboring province of Shanxi had been affected as well. Together, the two provinces saw a 60% decrease in population according to earthquake death toll statistics.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, China experienced over 800 earthquakes magnitude 6 and above.
(Source: Science Museums of China)
This makes sense as China is located between the two largest seismic belts — the circum-Indian seismic belt and the circum-Pacific seismic belt. These quakes happened in almost all the municipalities, provinces, and autonomous regions of China except for Hong Kong, Guizhou, and Zhejiang.
Since 1949, China saw more than 100 destructive earthquakes, as revealed by the earthquake frequency chart.
(Source: Science Museums of China)
These disasters happened in municipalities, provinces and autonomous regions of China, whereas 14 of them occurred in the eastern part of the country.
Since 1990, over 550,000 lives have been lost to China earthquakes. Meaning, this nation accounts for 53% of the total casualties of earthquakes around the globe. That said, we can infer that earthquakes and other types of natural disasters are a major threat to the Chinese community.
So, what was the strongest earthquake ever recorded in history?
The Chilean earthquake holds the record with a magnitude of 9.5.
(Source: Geology)
However, this magnitude isn’t even close to what China experienced in 1556; the destruction it caused may have been far worse to some extent. In 1960, the great Chilean earthquake struck near Valdivia in Southern Chile. The largest recorded earthquake put two million people without a roof over their heads, yet the majority of the deaths, including the material damages, were the result of a powerful tsunami afterward.
The tsunami wave traveled across the Pacific Ocean at a speed of 200 miles per hour, killing several people in Hawaii, Japan, and the Philippines. As such, it’s hardly surprising that the United States Geological Survey named the event “the largest earthquake of the 20th century.”
Earthquake Locations, Strength, and Death Statistics
Here are the top 10 lists of the largest earthquakes (by magnitude and death toll) to date:
By Magnitude
| Location | Magnitude | Date |
| Bio-Bio, Chile (Valdivia Earthquake) | 9.5 | May 22, 1960 |
| Southern Alaska | 9.2 | March 24, 1964 |
| Off the West Coast of Northern Sumatra | 9.1 | December 26, 2004 |
| Near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan (Tohoku Earthquake) | 9.1 | March 11, 2011 |
| Off the East Coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia | 9.0 | November 4, 1952 |
| Offshore Bio-Bio, Chile (Maule Earthquake) | 8.8 | February 27, 2010 |
| Near the Coast of Ecuador | 8.8 | January 31, 1906 |
| The Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska | 8.7 | February 4, 1965 |
| Eastern Xizang-India border region | 8.6 | August 15, 1950 |
| Off the West Coast of Northern Sumatra | 8.6 | April 11, 2012 |
Source: USGS
By Death Toll
| Location | Magnitude | Deaths |
| Shaanxi, China | 8 | 830,000 |
| Tangshan, China | 7.5 | 655,000 |
| Aleppo, Syria | Unknown | 230,000 |
| Sumatra, Indonesia | 9.1 | 227,898 |
| Haiti | 7 | 222,570 |
| Damghan, Iran | Unknown | 200,000 |
| Haiyuan, Ningxia, China | 7.8 | 200,000 |
| Ardabil, Iran | Unknown | 150,000 |
| Kanto, Japan | 7.9 | 142,800 |
| Ashgabat, Turkmenistan | 7.3 | 110,000 |
Source: OurWorldInData
Earthquake Statistics by Year
Earthquakes that happened in Iran and Syria with unknown magnitudes killed hundreds of thousands of people.
Source: OurWorldInData
As seen in the table above, the characteristics of earthquakes that hit Iran and Syria remain a mystery. These disasters occurred somewhere between 856–1138 AD, which indicates the lack of advanced technology, network, and tools to measure the strength of an earthquake.
Earthquake statistics for the last 100 years show that 16 major earthquakes are estimated to happen in any given year.
(Source: USGS)
Of the 16 major earthquakes, 15 are expected to be in the magnitude 7 range and one with a magnitude of 8 or higher. Looking at the long-term records globally, we have exceeded the average number of major earthquakes from 1973 to 2017.
2010 was the year with the highest number of earthquakes in the magnitude 7 range.
(Source: USGS)
In 2010 alone, there were 24 major earthquakes that occurred worldwide. There were times though that the total didn’t exceed the expected number of quakes. For instance, in 1988 and 1989, no more than 7 major earthquakes happened, as revealed by earthquake frequency stats.
How to Be Ready for an Earthquake
Unlike hurricanes, floods, and some other natural hazards, an earthquake can strike without warning — hence why you can never be fully prepared for it. Nonetheless, there are things that you can do to reduce or prevent damages, injuries, even deaths.
What to Do in Case of An Earthquake?
If you want to answer the question “what to do in an earthquake”, you have come to the right place. Read ahead to quickly learn about earthquake preparedness:
Instruction for Indoors – The best thing you can do is stay there. Get under a table or desk and hold on to it. Move to a hallway or stand against an inside wall. Stay away from fireplaces, windows, and heavy appliances or furniture. If you are in the kitchen when an earthquake hits, get out of there. Just do not run as you can fall or even hurt yourself.
Instruction for Outdoors – Get away from buildings, chimneys, power lines, and heavy objects that may fall on you. Stay in the clear.
Instruction for Drivers – Move your vehicle as far away from the traffic as possible. Don’t stop under trees, light posts, signs, power lines, on a bridge, or overpass. Stay inside the car until the tremors stop.
For Homeowners
A poorly-built home is at high risk of collapsing when disaster strikes. As such, doing the most common retrofitting projects would be ideal — add steel plates between your home and its foundation, secure water heaters to walls, apply safety films to windows, and so on.
Indeed, it’s not an easy job surviving the largest earthquake in the world but try not to panic. Reach out for your emergency kit and head over to your family’s emergency meeting place.
For Business Owners
Natural disasters can happen at any time; for instance, you could end up in a commercial building when an earthquake strikes. Whether you own the building or it’s just your workplace, reacting safely is a must.
Building owners must follow earthquake risk-reduction measures to make their property resistant to such disasters. FEMA, in fact, has rehabilitation guidelines to help make buildings safer during earthquakes.
Employees and civilians, on the other hand, are required to do the earthquake-specific response — drop, cover, and hold on if a sturdy desk or table is nearby. DO NOT run outside while there’s intense shaking; bricks, glass, and other building components may fall onto you, thus increasing your chances of being injured.
Earthquake Statistics and the Insurance Industry
Earthquake damage isn’t covered in a standard homeowners’ policy nor is having earthquake insurance required by the government. However, you shouldn’t dismiss the fact that earthquakes can do devastating damage to your home or property.
Some people choose not to get this coverage if they’re not in an earthquake-prone area. But if you live in the Golden State where earthquakes are frequent as revealed by California earthquake statistics, additional coverage is well worth considering.
According to some reports, other states that are at risk include Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, Missouri, and Illinois, just to name a few. It’s important to note that premiums are cheaper for those living in lower-risk areas.
In conclusion, earthquake coverage helps you pay for repairs and the reconstruction of your home after an unduly disaster. This sounds like a better option rather than borrowing money to make your place livable again or losing everything all at once.
