List of costliest earthquakes

This is a list of major earthquakes by the dollar value of property (public and private) losses directly attributable to the earthquake. Only earthquakes that have caused damage over US$1 billion, adjusted for inflation, are listed here. Wherever possible, indirect and socioeconomic losses are excluded. Damage estimates for particular earthquakes may vary over time as more data becomes available. Losses from earthquake–induced landslides and tsunamis are also be included.

Over $1 billion, adjusted for inflation

Event Location Magnitude Adjusted for inflation (year) Historic cost (year)
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami Japan Japan 9.1[1] $487.6 billion (2024) $360 billion (2013)[2]
2008 Sichuan earthquake China China (Sichuan) 7.9–8.3 Mw $219.8 billion (2024) $150 billion (2008)[3]
2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake Turkey Turkey, Syria Syria 7.8 and 7.7 Mw $169.1 billion (2024) $163.3 billion (2023)[4][5]
1994 Northridge earthquake United States United States (California) 6.7 $85.1 billion (2024) $40 billion (1994)[6]
1980 Irpinia earthquake Italy Italy 6.9 $73.9 billion (2024) $20 billion (1980)[7]
1995 Great Hanshin earthquake Japan Japan 6.9 $62.1–414 billion (2024) $30–200 billion (1995)[8][9]
1976 Tangshan earthquake China China (Hebei) 7.6 $53.5 billion (2024) $10 billion (1976)[10]
2010 Canterbury earthquake

2011 (February) Christchurch earthquake

New Zealand New Zealand 7.0 and 6.2 $53.2 billion (2023) $27.9 billion (2015)[11]
2004 Chūetsu earthquake Japan Japan 6.8 $45.1 billion (2024) $28 billion (2004)[12][13]
1988 Armenian earthquake Armenia Armenia 6.8 $41.7 billion (2024) $16.2 billion (1977)[7]
2016 Kumamoto earthquakes Japan.Japan 7.0 $30.5–58.4 billion (2024) $24–46 billion (2016)[14]
2011 Sikkim earthquake India India 6.9 $30.2 billion (2024) $22.3 billion (2011)[15]
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami Indonesia Indonesia 9.1-9.3 $24.2 billion (2024) $15 billion (2004)[16]
2009 L'Aquila earthquake Italy Italy 6.3 $22.7 billion (2024) $16 billion (2009)[17]
1972 Nicaragua earthquake Nicaragua Nicaragua 6.3 $21.6 billion (2024) $2.9 billion (1972)[7]
2012 Northern Italy earthquakes Italy Italy 6.1[18] $20.9 billion (2024) $15.8 billion (2012)[7]
2010 Chile earthquake Chile Chile 8.8[19] $20.3–40.6 billion (2024) $15–30 billion (2010)[19]
1939 Chillán earthquake Chile Chile 7.9 $20.1 billion (2024) $920 million (1939)[7]
1980 El Asnam earthquake Algeria Algeria 7.3 $19.2 billion (2024) $5.2 billion (1980)[7]
1976 Friuli earthquake Italy Italy 6.5 $19.2 billion (2024) $3.6 billion (1976)[7]
2007 Chūetsu offshore earthquake Japan Japan 6.6 $18.4 billion (2024) $12.5 billion (2007)[7]
1999 Jiji earthquake Taiwan Taiwan 7.7 $18.2 billion (2024) $10 billion (1999)
1985 Mexico City earthquake Mexico Mexico 8.0 $14.1 billion (2024) $5 billion (1985)[20]
2020 Zagreb earthquake Croatia Croatia 5.3 $13.7 billion (2024) $11.7 billion (2020)[21]
1989 Loma Prieta earthquake United States United States (California) 6.9 $13.7–14.7 billion (2024) $5.6–6 billion (1989)
1906 San Francisco earthquake United States United States (California) 7.7–7.9 $13.6 billion (2024) $400 million (1906)[22]
2015 Nepal earthquake Nepal Nepal 7.8 $12.8 billion (2024) $10 billion (2015)[23]
2005 Kashmir earthquake Pakistan Pakistan [a] 7.6 $12.8 billion (2024) $6.6 billion (2005)[7]
2014 Ludian earthquake China China 6.1 $12.7 billion (2024) $9.9 billion (2014)[24]
1979 Montenegro earthquake Montenegro Montenegro 6.9 $12.6 billion (2024) $2.7 billion (1979)[7]
1948 Fukui earthquake Japan Japan 6.8 $12.6 billion (2024) $1 billion (1948)[7]
1999 İzmit earthquake Turkey Turkey 7.6 $11.9–36.6 billion (2023) $6.5–20 billion (1999)[25][12]
1976 Guatemala earthquake Guatemala Guatemala 7.6 $11.4 billion (2024) $2.1 billion (1976)[7]
2010 Haiti earthquake Haiti Haiti 7.0 $10.9–11.8 billion (2024) $7.8–8.5 billion (2010)[26]
1923 Great Kantō earthquake Japan Japan 8.0 $10.6 billion (2024) $600 million (1923)[7]
1977 Vrancea earthquake Romania Romania 7.5 $10.5 billion (2024) $2.1 billion (1977)[7]
1960 Valdivia earthquake Chile Chile 9.5 $10.2 billion (2024) $1 billion[7]
2017 Puebla earthquake Mexico Mexico 7.1 $9.9 billion (2024) $8 billion (2017)[7]
1963 Skopje earthquake North Macedonia North Macedonia 6.0 $9.9 billion (2024) $1 billion[7]
2022 Fukushima earthquake Japan Japan 7.3 $9.1 billion (2024) $8.8 billion (2022)[12]
2013 Lushan earthquake China China 6.6 $8.8 billion (2024) $6.8 billion (2013)[7]
2021 Fukushima earthquake Japan Japan 7.1 $8.6 billion (2024) $7.7 billion (2021)[7]
2018 Osaka earthquake Japan Japan 5.5 $8.4 billion (2024) $7 billion (2018)[7]
2003 Boumerdès earthquake Algeria Algeria 6.8 $8.2 billion (2024) $5 billion (2003)[7]
2017 Iran-Iraq earthquake Iran Iran 7.3 $7.7 billion (2024) $6.2 billion (2017)[27]
2023 Marrakesh–Safi earthquake Morocco Morocco 6.9 $7 billion (2024) $7 billion (2023)[7]
2024 Noto earthquake Japan Japan 7.5 $6.9–17.6 billion (2024) $6.9–17.6 billion (2024)[28]
2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes United States United States (California) 7.1 $6.3 billion (2024) $5.3 billion (2019)[7]
2016 Central Italy earthquake Italy Italy 6.2 $6.3 billion (2024) $5 billion (2016)[7]
1982 North Yemen earthquake Yemen Yemen 6.3 $6.3 billion (2024) $2 billion (1982)[7]
2020 Petrinja earthquake Croatia Croatia 6.4 $5.8 billion (2024) $5 billion (2020)[29]
1953 Concepción earthquake Chile Chile 7.6 $5.7 billion (2024) $500 million (1953)[7]
2017 Chiapas earthquake Mexico Mexico 8.2 $4.9 billion (2024) $4 billion (2017)[7]
2006 Yogyakarta earthquake Indonesia Indonesia 6.3 $4.6 billion (2024) $3.1 billion (2006)[7]
1985 Algarrobo earthquake Chile Chile 8.0 $4.2 billion (2024) $1.5 billion (1985)[7]
2016 Ecuador earthquake Ecuador Ecuador 7.8 $4.1 billion (2024) $3.3 billion (2016)[7]
1970 Ancash earthquake Peru Peru 7.9 $4.1 billion (2024) $530 million (1970)[7]
1971 San Fernando earthquake United States United States (California) 6.6 $4.1 billion (2024) $530 million (1971)[30]
2011 (June) Christchurch earthquake New Zealand New Zealand 6.0 $4 billion (2024) $3 billion (2011)[7]
1978 Miyagi earthquake Japan Japan 7.7 $4 billion (2024) $865 million (1978)[7]
1964 Alaska earthquake United States United States (Alaska) 9.2 $3.9 billion (2024) $400 million (1964)[7]
2001 Gujarat earthquake India India 7.7 $3.7 billion (2024) $2.1 billion (2001)[31]
2001 Nisqually earthquake United States United States (Washington) 6.8 $3.4 billion (2024) $2 billion (2001)[32]
1981 Sirch earthquake Iran Iran 7.1 $3.3 billion (2024) $1 billion (1981)[7]
2009 Sumatra earthquakes Indonesia Indonesia 7.6 $3.1 billion (2024) $2.2 billion (2009)[7]
1968 Belice earthquake Italy Italy 6.1 $2.8 billion (2024) $320 million (1968)[7]
1966 Tashkent earthquake Uzbekistan Uzbekistan 5.2 $2.8 billion (2024) $300 million (1966)[7]
1981 Gulf of Corinth earthquakes Greece Greece 6.7 $2.7 billion (2024) $812 million (1981)[7]
2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi earthquake Japan Japan 6.6 $2.4 billion (2024) $2 billion (2018)[7]
1983 Sea of Japan earthquake Japan Japan 7.4 $2.4 billion (2024) $800 million (1983)[7]
1972 Ancona earthquake Italy Italy 4.9 $2.1 billion (2024) $300 million (1972)[7]
2023 Jishishan earthquake China China 5.9 $2 billion (2024) $2 billion (2023)[7]
2011 Van earthquakes Turkey Turkey 7.1 $2 billion (2024) $1.5 billion (2011)[7]
1986 Vrancea earthquake Romania Romania 7.2 $2 billion (2024) $730 million (1977)[7]
2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami Indonesia Indonesia 7.5 $1.8 billion (2024) $1.5 billion (2018)[7]
1915 Avezzano earthquake Italy Italy 6.7 $1.8 billion (2024) $60 million (1915)[7]
1971 Aconcagua earthquake Chile Chile 7.8 $1.7 billion (2024) $236 million (1971)[7]
1944 San Juan earthquake Argentina Argentina 6.9 $1.7 billion (2024) $100 million (1944)[7]
2021 Haiti earthquake Haiti Haiti 7.2 $1.6 billion (2024) $1.5 billion (2021)[33]
2019 Sichuan earthquake China China (Sichuan) 5.8 $1.5 billion (2024) $1.3 billion (2019)[7]
2010 Baja California earthquake Mexico Mexico 7.2 $1.5 billion (2024) $1.1 billion (2010)[7]
2012 Yiliang earthquakes China China 5.5 $1.3 billion (2024) $1 billion[7]
2010 Kaohsiung earthquake Taiwan Taiwan 6.3 $1.3 billion (2024) $1 billion[7]
1983 Popayán earthquake Colombia Colombia 5.5 $1.2 billion (2024) $410 million (1983)[7]
1967 Caracas earthquake Venezuela Venezuela 6.6 $1.2 billion (2024) $140 million (1967)[7]
1965 Valparaíso earthquake and the El Cobre dam failures Chile Chile 7.4 $1.2 billion (2024) $125 million (1965)[7]
1960 Agadir earthquake Morocco Morocco 5.9 $1.2 billion (2024) $120 million (1960)[7]
2019 Albania earthquake Albania Albania 6.4 $1.1 billion (2024) $1 billion[7]
1978 Thessaloniki earthquake Greece Greece 6.4 $1.1 billion (2024) $250 million (1978)[7]
1953 Ionian earthquake Greece Greece 6.8 $1.1 billion (2024) $100 million (1953)[7]
1976 Bali earthquake Indonesia Indonesia 6.5 $1 billion (2024) $195 million (1976)[7]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The status of Kashmir is disputed, see Kashmir conflict

References

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