The devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday has already claimed more than 25,000 lives. And as rescuers continue to search for survivors for the fifth consecutive day, authorities warn that hopes are low and it is likely that the the number of victims continues to grow for the next few hours.
However, the high number of victims has already placed the catastrophic natural disaster as one of the The 10 deadliest earthquakes of the 21st century.
This is a list that was already entered hours after the quake. At the time, initial reports put about 8,000 dead and placed the Middle East earthquake in ninth place.
But the number has grown steadily and now already occupies the sixth position, approaching that which occurred in 2003 in Iran, where an earthquake caused 31,000 victims.
What are the 10 deadliest earthquakes of the century
1) Southeast Asia in 2004: 230,000 dead
It happened on December 26, 2004 when a magnitude 9.1 earthquake off the coast of Sumatra (Indonesia) triggered a gigantic tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people on the coasts of ten Southeast Asian countries. Of that number, 170,000 were in Indonesia.
2) Haiti in 2010: 200,000 dead
It happened on January 12, 2010 when a magnitude 7 earthquake killed more than 200,000 people in Haiti and left 1.5 million homeless. The earthquake turned the capital, Port-au-Prince, into a field of ruins.
3) Sichuan in 2008: 87,000 dead
It was May 12, 2008. An earthquake measuring 7.9 caused more than 87,000 deaths and 4.45 million injuries and devastated large areas of Sichuan province (south-west China). Among the victims thousands of students who died in the collapse of poorly built schools.
4) Kashmir in 2005: 75,000 dead
On October 8, 2005, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake killed more than 73,000 people and left 3.5 million homeless, mostly in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. The medical infrastructure has been almost completely destroyed.
5) Bam, Iran, in 2003: 31,000 dead
On January 26, 2001, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the western Indian state of Gujarat, killing more than 20,000 people. The city of Bhuj was destroyed.
6) Turkey and Syria in 2023: 25,000 dead
The devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on 6 February 2023 has already claimed more than 25,000 lives, according to a new toll released on Saturday 11 February.
Officials and doctors said 21,848 people had been reported dead in Turkey and 3,553 in Syria since the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck on Monday, bringing the confirmed total to 25,401.
7) India in 2001: 20,000 dead
On January 26, 2001, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the western Indian state of Gujarat, killing more than 20,000 people. The city of Bhuj was destroyed.
8) Japan in 2011: 18,500 dead
On March 11, 2011, Japan was hit by an earthquake measuring 9.1. Less than an hour later, a gigantic wave of more than 20 meters hit the coast of the Tohoku region (northeast) in some places, destroying everything in its path.
The catastrophe left an estimated 18,500 dead or missing and forced the evacuation of more than 165,000 residents of Fukushima prefecture due to radioactive emissions caused by water entering the plant.
9) Nepal in 2015: 9,000 dead
On April 25, 2015, nearly 9,000 people died in a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck central Nepal. The capital, Kathmandu, and the regions near the epicenter, 80 kilometers away, have been devastated.
10) Java Island in 2006: 6,000 dead
On May 26, 2006, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake on the island of Java killed nearly 6,000 people. About 38,000 were injured and more than 420,000 were left homeless.
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.