How does the Morocco earthquake compare to other deadly quakes to have hit the MENA region?

A devastating earthquake that rocked Morocco on Friday has so far left more than 2,000 people dead and a similar number injured, with an estimated 300,000 Moroccans affected by the disaster.

The precise power of the earthquake that struck the country’s Marrakesh-Safi region is not yet known. The US Geological Survey estimates its magnitude to be 6.8, but the Moroccan Geological Institute has put it at 7.2. Within this range, it is the strongest earthquake in Morocco’s history and one of the most powerful to have hit the earthquake-prone Middle East and North Africa region.

The New Arab takes a look at other tragic earthquakes that have struck the region in recent history.

1960 Agadir earthquake (Morocco)

On 29 February 1960, a large earthquake struck the southwestern Moroccan city of Agadir.

The quake’s magnitude was a moderate 5.8, but its shallow depth resulted in high intensity surface shaking, leading to the death of 15,000 people – around one-third of the city’s population. Entire neighbourhoods of the city were turned to rubble. The disaster left 12,000 homes destroyed and around 35,000 residents homeless.

1980 El-Asnam earthquake (Algeria)

This earthquake that hit the Algerian town of El-Asnam, now known as Chlef, was one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded in North Africa, with a magnitude of 7.3. The quake left around 5,000 people dead, and up to 10,000 injured. The initial earthquake lasted only 35 seconds but was followed by a magnitude 6.2 aftershock and a tsunami.  Some 25,000 houses were destroyed, with 300,000 people left homeless.

1990 Manjil–Rudbar earthquake (Iran)

On 21 June 1990, the northwestern Iranian cities of Manjil and Rudbar experienced one of the world’s most destructive earthquakes, that measured magnitude 7.4 and killed as many as 50,000 people. More than 100,000 were injured, with almost every building in the Rudbar-Manjil area destroyed or damaged. About 400,000 people were left homeless, and the quake causing upwards of $8 billion in damage.

1992 Cairo earthquake (Egypt)

This 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck in Dahshur in Giza, 22 miles south of Cairo, in October 1992. But it was the Egyptian capital that faced the worst of the impact, with 561 deaths and over 12,000 people injured. Almost 10,000 buildings spanning 16 of Egypt’s 27 governorates were destroyed or severely damaged, including hundreds of schools, hospitals and mosques. It was the most damaging seismic event in Egypt since the 19th century.

2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake

On 6 February 2023, a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern and central Turkey and the north and west of Syria. It is one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded in the Levant area.

The consequences of the quake were predictably catastrophic, with as many as 60,000 people dying across Turkey and Syria, and around 1.5 million people made homeless. In addition to the initial quake, there were over 30,000 aftershocks. It is the fourth costliest earthquake on record, having caused well over $100 billion in damage.