General Information-Tidal Waves and Earthquakes

Some of the Biggest Earthquakes Around the World Over the Last Ten Years

IOL Staff

HERE are some of the biggest earthquakes from around the world over the past decade.

December 2003: More than 50,000 people killed in a quake in Iran measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale.

Bam, best known for its 2000-year-old citadel, was ruined.

May 2003: More than 2000 people were killed and nearly 7000 hurt as a quake measuring 6.7 hit Boumerdes in Algeria . March 2002: Thousands died in Afghanistan after an earthquake measuring 6 on the Richter scale. Officials said up to 20,000 had been left homeless.

January 2001: Around30,000 people died and more than 100,000 were injured by a quake in Gujarat , India , which measured 7.9. It was one of the two most deadly earthquakes to strike India in its history.

January/February 2001: Two quakes hit El Salvador . The first, measuring 7.6, hit on the 13th and left almost 1000 dead and tens of thousands homeless. More than 3000 aftershocks were recorded, culminating in a second earthquake on February 13. One million people were affected.

September 1999: Around 2500 people were killed by an earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale in Taiwan . Eight northern counties and cities - including the capital Taipei - were subject to six half-hour power cuts a day, causing multi-million dollar losses to the country's vital manufacturing industry.

May 1998: Around 4000people were killed by a quake in Northern Afghanistan . At least 16 villages were destroyed, leaving tens of thousands homeless.

January 1995: Around6430 people were killed after the Hyogo quake in Kobe , Japan . Many died while they slept as the largest quake in Japan since1923 hit.

June 1994: In excess of 1000 people were killed by an earthquake and landslide in Colombia . Minutes later, dozens of landslides swept from the steep valleys above Rmo Paez into the river.

The landslides quickly turned into debris flows, which joined to produce a single enormous flow of water, rocks, soil, and trees in Rmo Paez.

September 1993: Around 22,000 villagers were killed in western and southern India .

The earthquake that struck Latur and Osmanabad in the state of Maharashtra at 3:56am on September 30 had force of 6.4 on the Richter scale.

It was India 's worst earthquake since independence in 1947. Official statistics show that 86 villages in the two districts were devastated.