Venezuela’s twin earthquakes on Wednesday — magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, striking 39 seconds apart — are among the strongest in that country’s history. The epicentre of the first quake was in Carabobo state, about 20 kilometres from the capital Caracas, according to the BBC. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the second quake struck 39 seconds later at magnitude 7.5. More than 20 aftershocks followed.
While devastating for Venezuela, neither quake ranks among the ten most powerful earthquakes ever recorded globally. According to USGS data, the ten largest earthquakes in recorded history and their estimated death tolls are as follows:
1. Chile, Bio-Bío, 1960 — Magnitude 9.5. At least 1,655 killed. The largest earthquake ever recorded.
2. United States, Alaska, 1964 — Magnitude 9.2. 130 killed.
3. Indonesia, Sumatra, 2004 — Magnitude 9.1. More than 280,000 killed.
4. Japan, Tōhoku, 2011 — Magnitude 9.1. More than 15,000 killed.
5. Russia, Kamchatka, 1952 — Magnitude 9.0. Up to 15,000 killed.
6. Russia, Kamchatka, 2025 — Magnitude 8.8. No fatalities reported.
7. Chile, Bio-Bío, 2010 — Magnitude 8.8. 523 killed.
8. Ecuador, Esmeraldas, 1906 — Magnitude 8.8. Approximately 1,500 killed.
9. United States, Alaska, 1965 — Magnitude 8.7. No fatalities reported.
10. India, Arunachal Pradesh, 1950 — Magnitude 8.6. 780 killed.
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