Strongest Earthquakes that Hit the Middle East in the Past 50 Years

  • Publish date: Monday، 06 February 2023 | Last update: Saturday، 22 April 2023

Devastating earthquakes have hit MENA, Turkey, Pakistan, and India in the past half century

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Over the past 50 years, there have been several devastating earthquakes that have hit the Middle East, with the latest being the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck central Turkey and northwest Syria on February 6th, 2023.

The 7.8-magnitude quake was centered in the town of Pazarcik in Kahramanmaras province, about 20 miles from the city of Gaziantep and the tremors were felt as far as Lebanon, Cyprus, and Egypt. It is believed to be the strongest earthquake to hit the Middle East region this century.

Here is a list of some of the strongest earthquakes that hit the Middle East region:

  1. Gaziantep earthquake of 2023:
    This magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck central Turkey and northwest Syria on February 6th, 2023, killing over 1,300 people dead and the death toll is expected to increase as rescue workers search the rubble.


    Image Source: Twitter
     
  2. Tabas Earthquake of 1978: 
    This magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the city of Tabas, Iran on September 16th, 1978, killing over 15,000 people and injuring thousands more.
     
  3. El- Asnam earthquake of 1980:
    This magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the city of Al Asnam, Algeria on October 10th, 1980, killing over 2,500 people and injuring thousands more.
     
  4. Bela earthquake of 2013:
    This magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck near the city of Bela, Pakistan on September 24th, 2013, killing at least 238 people.


    Image source: Ahmed Akacha
     
  5. The Bhuj earthquake of 2001:
    This magnitude 7.7 earthquake (some sources suggest it was 7.6 magnitude) struck the district of Gujarat, India on January 26th, 2001, killing between 13,805 to 20,023 people in both India and Pakistan, and injuring at least 167,000 more.
     
  6. Gulf of Aqaba earthquake of 1995:
    This magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck the central segment of the Gulf of Aqaba between Egypt and Saudi Arabia on November 22nd, 1995, killing 8 people and injuring 30.
     
  7. Iran-Iraq Border Earthquake of 2017:
    This magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck the Iran-Iraq border region on November 12th, 2017, killing over 400 people and injuring thousands more.
     
  8. Iran-Bahrain Earthquake of 2017:
    This magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck the Iran-Bahrain border region on November 21st, 2017, killing at least eight people and injuring hundreds more.
     
  9. Duzce earthquake of 1999:
    This magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the city of Duzce, Turkey on November 12th, 1999, killing over 800 people and injuring thousands more.

Earthquakes can strike at any time, causing widespread damage and even loss of life. It is important to be prepared and take steps to stay safe during and after an earthquake.

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