Morocco earthquake: A look at the world’s deadliest temblors over the past 25 years

A volunteer prays near the rubble of collapsed buildings in the village of Imi N’Tala near Amizmiz in central Morocco after the deadly 6.8-magnitude September 8 earthquake, on September 10, 2023. Using heavy equipment and even their bare hands, rescuers in Morocco on September 10 stepped up efforts to find survivors of a devastating earthquake that killed more than 2,100 people and flattened villages. | Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP

The earthquake that struck Morocco late Friday has killed more than 2,100 people, with the death toll expected to increase as rescuers reach hard-hit remote mountain areas. 

Here’s a look at the deadliest earthquakes over the past 25 years:

Morocco earthquake

— Sept. 8, 2023: In Morocco, a magnitude 6.8 temblor kills more than 2,100 people.

Turkey, Syria earthquake

— Feb. 6, 2023: In Turkey and Syria, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake kills more than 21,600 people.

Nepal earthquake

— April 25, 2015: In Nepal, more than 8,800 people are killed by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake.

Japan tsunami

— March 11, 2011: A magnitude 9.0 quake off the northeast coast of Japan triggers a tsunami, killing more than 18,400 people.

Haiti quake

— Jan. 12, 2010: In Haiti, over 100,000 people are killed by a magnitude 7.0 quake. The government estimated a staggering 316,000 dead, but the scale of the destruction made an accurate count impossible.

Sichuan quake

— May 12, 2008: A magnitude 7.9 quake strikes eastern Sichuan in China, resulting in over 87,500 deaths.

Indonesia quake

— May 27, 2006: More than 5,700 people die when a magnitude 6.3 quake hits Indonesia’s Java island.

Pakistan quake

— Oct. 8, 2005: A magnitude 7.6 earthquake kills over 80,000 people in Pakistan’s Kashmir region.

Indian Ocean tsunami

— Dec. 26, 2004: A magnitude 9.1 quake in Indonesia triggers an Indian Ocean tsunami, killing about 230,000 people in a dozen countries.

Iran quake

— Dec. 26, 2003: A magnitude 6.6 earthquake hits southeastern Iran, causing more than 20,000 deaths.

India earthquake

— Jan. 26, 2001: A magnitude 7.6 quake strikes Gujarat in India, killing as many as 20,000 people.

Turkey quake

— Aug. 17, 1999: A magnitude 7.6 earthquake hits Izmit, Turkey, killing about 18,000 people.