In the wake of the recent earthquakes in Bam, Iran, I happened to checkout some of the disastrous earthquakes in the past 80 years.
There were quite a few occuring in the region of subcontinental Asia.
Here is the list
Dec. 26, 2003: Southeastern Iran, magnitude 6.5; Government estimates at least 20,000 killed.
May 1, 2003: Southeastern Turkey, magnitude 6.4; 167 people killed, including 83 children in a collapsed dormitory.
Feb. 24, 2003: Western China, magnitude 6.3 or 6.8; at least 266 killed.
June 22, 2002: Northwestern Iran, magnitude 6; at least 500 killed.
March 25, 2002: Northern Afghanistan (news - web sites), magnitude 5.8; up to 1,000 killed.
Jan. 26, 2001: India, magnitude 7.9; at least 2,500 killed. Estimates put death toll as high as 13,000.
Sept. 21, 1999: Taiwan, magnitude 7.6; 2,400 killed.
Aug. 17, 1999: Western Turkey, magnitude 7.4; 17,000 killed.
Jan. 25, 1999: Western Colombia, magnitude 6; 1,171 killed.
May 30, 1998: Northern Afghanistan and Tajikistan, magnitude 6.9; as many as 5,000 killed.
May 10, 1997: Northern Iran, magnitude 7.1; 1,500 killed.
Jan. 17, 1995: Kobe, Japan, magnitude 7.2; more than 6,000 killed.
Sept. 30, 1993: Latur, India, magnitude 6.0; as many as 10,000 killed.
June 21, 1990: Northwest Iran, magnitude 7.3-7.7; 50,000 killed.
Dec. 7, 1988: Northwest Armenia, magnitude 6.9; 25,000 killed.
Sept. 19, 1985: Central Mexico, magnitude 8.1; more than 9,500 killed.
Sept. 16, 1978: Northeast Iran, magnitude 7.7; 25,000 killed.
**July 28, 1976: Tangshan, China; magnitude 7.8-8.2; 240,000 killed.**
Feb. 4, 1976: Guatemala, magnitude 7.5; 22,778 killed.
Dec. 26, 1939: Erzincan province, Turkey, magnitude 7.9; 33,000 killed.
Jan. 24, 1939: Chillan, Chile, magnitude 8.3; 28,000 killed.
**May 31, 1935: Quetta, India, magnitude 7.5; 50,000 killed.**
Sept. 1, 1923: Tokyo-Yokohama, Japan, magnitude 8.3; at least 140,000 killed.