Worst Earthquakes since 1970

The huge earthquake yesterday off Indonesia, with a magnitude of 8.9 on the open Richter scale according to the US Geological Survey, is among the deadliest in recent years.

* Jan 5, 1970 - China - 15,621 killed in Yunnan in the southwest. Magnitude 7.8 on the Richter scale.

* May 11, 1974 - China - At least 1O,000 killed in the southwestern Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. Magnitude 7.1.

* December 1974 - Pakistan - More than 5,000 killed in the north.

* Feb 4, 1975 - China - At least 1,300 killed in Liaoning in the northeast. The town of Haicheng is evacuated in time. Magnitude 7.3.

* Aug 17, 1976 - Philippines - 3,700 killed when tsunami slams into southwest coast of Mindanao after a quake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale.

* July 28, 1976 - China - The industrial town of Tangshan, 200km east of Beijing, was wiped off the map. Beijing releases an official toll for the first time, reporting 242,000 killed and 164,000 seriously injured, but Western experts say it was closer to 700,000 victims. Magnitude locally put at 7.8 on the Richter scale, but US geologists put it at 8.2.

* Aug 21, 1988 - India - About 1,000 killed on the border between India and Nepal. Magnitude 6.5.

* July 16, 1990 - Philippines - 1,200 killed when tremblor hits Baguio. Magnitude 7.8.

* Feb 1, 1991 - Afganistan and Pakistan - Almost 1,500 killed. Magnitude 6.8.

* Oct 20, 1991 - India - 768 killed in northern Uttar Pradesh. Magnitude 6.6.

* Sep 30, 1993 - India - 7,601 killed and 15,846 injured in the western Maharashtra state. Magnitude 6.3.

* Jan 17, 1995 - Japan - 6,424 killed and about 250,000 homes destroyed in Kobe. Magnitude 7.2. Japanese authorities say it is the country’s biggest earthquake in half a century.

* Sep 21, 1999 - Taiwan - Some 2,400 killed in central Taiwan. Magnitude 7.6.

* Jan 26, 2001 - India - More than 20,000 people killed and more than 160,000 injured in the western state of Gujarat, where the town of Bhuj was completely destroyed.

* March 25, 2002 - Afghanistan. At least 800 killed, 4,800 feared dead and thousands left homeless in Baghlan province in the foothills of the northern Hindu Kush mountain range.