9 most devastating earthquakes ever recorded 

A 6.3 magnitude earthquake followed by powerful aftershocks killed over 2,000 people and injured over 9,000 more in Afghanistan. It was the deadliest tremors experienced in the earthquake-prone mountainous region in several years.

Afghanistan Earthquake  (6.3 magnitude)

The Valdivia Earthquake, commonly known as the Great Chilean Earthquake, is the most powerful recorded earthquake. The earthquake also triggered a disastrous tsunami, resulting in an estimated 5,700 deaths in Chile alone.

The Great Chilean Earthquake, Chile (9.5 magnitude)

The magnitude 9.2 temblor, which lasted about three minutes, caused an estimated 20 tsunamis and damaged many villages along the Gulf of Alaska, killing around 140 people.

Great Alaska Earthquake, Alaska (9.2 magnitude)

On 26 December, 2004, a huge magnitude 9.1 earthquake rocked an area off the west coast of Northern Sumatra in Indonesia. Over 228,000 persons were reported dead or missing accross 14 countries.

Sumatra-Andaman Islands Earthquake, Indonesia (9.1 magnitude)

In March 2011, a colossal undersea quake with a magnitude of 9.0-9.1 hit off Japan's east coast, triggering a devastating tsunami, a nuclear crisis at Fukushima Daiichi, and around 16,000 casualties with widespread destruction.

Tohoku Earthquake, Japan (9.0-9.1 magnitude)

This earthquake triggered the Kamchatka tsunami in East Russia, generating colossal waves up to 50 feet high, devastating the Kamchatka peninsula and Kuril Islands, and claiming approximately 15,000 lives.

Kamchatka Earthquake, Russia (9.0 magnitude)

The earthquake caused a tsunami, which wrecked numerous coastal communities in south-central Chile. The port at Talcahuano was also devastated. The quake killed 525 people and leaves 25 people missing.

Offshore Maule, Chile (8.8 magnitude)

An 8.8 magnitude earthquake exploded off the coasts of Ecuador and Colombia. It caused a powerful tsunami that killed 500 to 1,500 individuals. The tsunami swept down Central America's coast, reaching San Francisco and Japan.

Ecuador-Colombia Earthquake (8.8 magnitude)

A large 8.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Assam-Tibet region in 1950. At least 780 people were killed, many were injured, and numerous buildings were destroyed.

Assam, Tibet (8.6 magnitude)