Afghanistan earthquake: 10 largest tremors that killed thousands and destroyed million of homes
The largest earthquake ever in Chile killed 1,655 people and left 2 million homeless
Jalalabad, Afghanistan: A massive rescue operation was underway in Afghanistan on Monday, after a strong earthquake and multiple aftershocks flattened homes in a remote, mountainous region, killing more than 800 people, the Taliban authorities said.
The earthquake struck just before midnight, shaking buildings from Kabul to neighbouring Pakistan's capital, Islamabad.
More than 1.2 million people likely felt strong or very strong shaking, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Near the epicentre in the east of Afghanistan, around 800 people were killed and 2,500 injured in remote Kunar province alone, chief Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.
Another 12 people were killed and 255 injured in neighbouring Nangarhar province, he added.
"Numerous houses were destroyed," interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani told AFP.
The majority of Afghans live in low-rise, mud-brick homes that are vulnerable to collapse.
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Here’s a look at the 10 largest earthquakes ever recorded:
10. Magnitude 8.6 (2012) in Sumatra, Indonesia: Located off the coast of northern Sumatra, this quake produced heavy shaking, but only a handful of fatalities, mostly caused by heart attacks.
9. Magnitude 8.6 (1950) in Arunachal Pradesh, India: Referred to as the Assam-Tibet earthquake, this quake produced intense shaking, triggered sandblows, ground cracks, and large landslides across the region. All told, 780 people died.
8. Magnitude 8.7 (1965) in Alaska, USA: Located near the Rat Islands of Alaska's Aleutian Islands, this earthquake generated a tsunami that was reportedly 35 feet high.
7. Magnitude 8.8 (1906) in Esmeraldas, Ecuador: Referred to as the Ecuador-Colombia earthquake, this quake produced a strong tsunami that killed 1,500 and reached as far north as San Francisco.
6. Magnitude 8.8 (2010) in Biobío, Chile: Occurring offshore near the city of Quirihue, this intense earthquake killed 523 people and destroyed more than 370,000 homes.
5. Magnitude 9.0 (1952) in Kamchatka Krai, Russia: The world's first recorded magnitude 9 earthquake triggered a massive tsunami that struck Hawaii, causing over $1 million in damages.
4. Magnitude 9.1 (2011) in Tōhoku, Japan: Named the Great Tōhoku earthquake, this quake and subsequent tsunami killed more than 15,000 people and displaced 130,000 more.
3. Magnitude 9.1 (2004) in Sumatra, Indonesia: The Sumatra-Andaman Islands earthquake triggered massive tsunamis and killed more than 280,000 people while displacing 1.1 million across South Asia and East Africa.
2. Magnitude 9.2 (1964) in Alaska, USA: Often referred to as the Great Alaska earthquake, the Prince William Sound earthquake, or the Good Friday earthquake, this quake and ensuing tsunami killed 130 people and caused $2.3 billion in damage.
1. Magnitude 9.5 (1960) in Biobío, Chile: Commonly referred to as the Valdivia earthquake or Great Chilean earthquake, the largest earthquake ever killed 1,655 people and left 2 million homeless.
With inputs from agencies and USGS
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