On the occasion of the devastating earthquake that struck Morocco late in the evening of the 8her September and left behind nearly 3,000 dead and over 5,500 injured, theCommonSense; reposts visualcapitalist's article mapping the deadliest earthquakes recorded in 21The century.
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On September 8, 2023, a powerful earthquake shook Morocco. With its epicenter located in the Atlas Mountains and structural damage in the historic city center of Marrakesh, the 6.8-magnitude earthquake will likely kill thousands.
With these recent events in mind, we use data from the National Centers for Environmental Information ( NCES ) to map the epicenters of the nine deadliest earthquakes of the 21st century so far, based on their total death toll. This includes casualties from secondary events – such as tsunamis – after each earthquake.
Earthquakes by death toll (2000–2023)
We delve into some of the deadliest earthquakes in recent history.
Haiti, 2010
On January 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit the capital Port-au-Prince. The earthquake's shallow epicenter—just six miles below the surface—caused most of the force to be directed near where people lived. By the end of the month, after 52 aftershocks rocked the island, the disaster had claimed more than 300,000 lives—the deadliest earthquake of the 21st century so far.
The widespread devastation led to global support, but the slow recovery sparked criticism of the government's inaction. In 2017, the UN reported that 2.5 million Haitians still needed help.
Indonesia, 2004
December 26, 2004: A 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia, deep under the ocean. It was the strongest earthquake of this century and the third strongest since 1900.
It caused the worst tsunami on record, causing 230,000 deaths mainly in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India.
The following is a list of the deadliest earthquakes, by death toll, of the 21st century.






Turkey and Syria, 2023
February 6, 2023: Two earthquakes, also with shallow epicenters (5 miles deep), hit the border region between Turkey and Syria, causing widespread damage in both countries and claiming more than 50,000 lives. Bad weather conditions—including snow, ice and winter storms—have hampered search and rescue efforts.
In Syria, international sanctions prevented foreign charities and families from sending money to the country, prompting the US to suspend sanctions for 180 days.
Japan, 2011
March 11, 2011: Another undersea earthquake—also a magnitude 9.1—occurred off the coast of Japan, triggering a deadly tsunami that flattened parts of the country 30 minutes later.
The high waves also damaged the Fukushima nuclear plant's emergency diesel generators, leading to reactor collapses and the release of radioactive waste. A total of 18,000 people died in the earthquake and tsunami.
How does earthquake data help with disaster preparedness?
Thanks to the study of plate tectonics, scientists know where earthquakes usually occur, even if they don't know exactly when. For example, countries along the "Ring of Fire"—a hotbed of earthquake and volcanic activity—witness hundreds of earthquakes a year, though most are not strong enough to cause damage.
However, with deadly earthquakes, other factors such as epicenter depth, location near densely populated areas and proximity to aftershocks – tsunamis – can play a much larger role in the death toll.
Disaster preparedness and rapid government action can mitigate many secondary casualties, as shown by comparing the very different death tolls from the 2004 and 2011 tsunamis.
Graphics/Design: Bhabna Banerjee
Of Pallavi Rao
Source: visualcapitalist