Worst 5 earthquakes in History

Bengaluru, April 29: The loss of life and property in the Nepal earthquake on April 25 is unforgettable and will certainly leave an indelible mark in the psyche of human kind.

However, there have been other similar calamities too across the globe. Five of the most terrible of them are as follows:

Sicily, Italy: Considered to the most powerful in the history of earthquake, Sicily reported a maximum of 11 in the Richter scale in 1963. It was followed by Tsunami, which hit the Ionian Sea, destroying 70 towns and killing 60,000 people. It had reportedly wiped out two-thirds of the entire population of Catania.

Rudbar, Iran: The earthquake of 1990 caused widespread damage across the 100 kilometer radius of the epicenter near Rashi and about 200 kilometers northwest of Tehran. It purportedly destroyed 700 villages with 40,000 fatalities, 60,000 injured and 500,000 homeless.

Izmit, Turkey: Hit by an earthquake of 7.9 Richter scale in 1990, it lasted for just 3.9 seconds, but led to massive damage. The city of Izmit was in a very bad state with death toll of 17,127 and 43, 959 injured. It is said that the actual figures were far more than what was stated. It was speculated that close to 45,000 people were dead with a similar number injured.

[Read: Shocking videos of earthquake that rattle the psyche]

Nankaido, Japan: The city was hit by an earthquake of the magnitude 8.6 that occurred on September 20, 1498, off the coast of Nankia, Japan. The severe earthquake triggered a large tsunami, which cost the lives of between 26,000 and 31,000 people. It led to severe shaking that reached the Boso Peninsula and also caused a tsunami in the Suruga Bay, which destroyed the building that housed the statue of the Great Buddha at Kotuku-in.

Kathmandu, Nepal: Hit by an earthquake of the magnitude 7.9 richter scale on April 25, 2015, experts believe that the impact has been like that of 20 thermonuclear weapons. With a toll of 5,057, the earthquake is considered to be one of the most destructive of its kind, tearing down some of the major monuments of such as the Dharahara tower, temples and world heritage sites near Kathmandu.

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