Deaths from earthquakes in Taiwan

Taiwan: Deaths from earthquakes was 20 deaths in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
20 deaths
Change on year
up 1,900.0%
World rank
10th
of 51 countries
All-time high
40,000 deaths
in 1782
All-time low
1 deaths
in 1988
Years of data
55
1721–2024

Deaths from earthquakes in Taiwan, 1721–2024

010.0k20.0k30.0k40.0k172118722024

Source: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.

Analysis

Taiwan recorded 20 deaths for deaths from earthquakes in 2024.

The figure is up 1,900.0% on the previous year and up 300.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, deaths from earthquakes in Taiwan peaked at 40,000 deaths in 1782 and was at its lowest, 1 deaths, in 1988.

That places Taiwan 10th out of 51 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Deaths from earthquakes in Taiwan, year by year

Annual values for Deaths from earthquakes in Taiwan, 1721 to 2024.
Year deaths Change
1721 2,000 deaths —
1736 260 deaths -87.0%
1782 40,000 deaths +15284.6%
1792 252 deaths -99.4%
1811 21 deaths -91.7%
1815 111 deaths +428.6%
1839 117 deaths +5.4%
1845 380 deaths +224.8%
1848 1,001 deaths +163.4%
1862 2,000 deaths +99.8%
1867 580 deaths -71.0%
1881 11 deaths -98.1%
1882 8 deaths -27.3%
1897 56 deaths +600.0%
1904 148 deaths +164.3%
1906 1,273 deaths +760.1%
1909 13 deaths -99.0%
1910 60 deaths +361.5%
1916 181 deaths +201.7%
1917 54 deaths -70.2%
1920 5 deaths -90.7%
1922 5 deaths +0.0%
1927 30 deaths +500.0%
1930 4 deaths -86.7%
1934 3 deaths -25.0%
1935 6,022 deaths +200633.3%
1936 10 deaths -99.8%
1941 319 deaths +3090.0%
1946 58 deaths -81.8%
1951 85 deaths +46.6%
1957 11 deaths -87.1%
1959 18 deaths +63.6%
1963 15 deaths -16.7%
1964 107 deaths +613.3%
1966 7 deaths -93.5%
1967 2 deaths -71.4%
1972 5 deaths +150.0%
1978 2 deaths -60.0%
1986 16 deaths +700.0%
1988 1 deaths -93.8%
1990 2 deaths +100.0%
1994 2 deaths +0.0%
1998 5 deaths +150.0%
1999 2,298 deaths +45860.0%
2000 5 deaths -99.8%
2002 5 deaths +0.0%
2004 2 deaths -60.0%
2006 2 deaths +0.0%
2013 5 deaths +150.0%
2015 1 deaths -80.0%
2016 117 deaths +11600.0%
2018 17 deaths -85.5%
2019 2 deaths -88.2%
2022 1 deaths -50.0%
2024 20 deaths +1900.0%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Deaths from earthquakes in Taiwan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1935 +200633.3% 3 deaths 6,022 deaths
1999 +45860.0% 5 deaths 2,298 deaths
1782 +15284.6% 260 deaths 40,000 deaths
2016 +11600.0% 1 deaths 117 deaths
1941 +3090.0% 10 deaths 319 deaths
2024 +1900.0% 1 deaths 20 deaths

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1720s 2,000 deaths 2,000 deaths 2,000 deaths 1
1730s 260 deaths 260 deaths 260 deaths 1
1780s 40,000 deaths 40,000 deaths 40,000 deaths 1
1790s 252 deaths 252 deaths 252 deaths 1
1810s 66 deaths 21 deaths 111 deaths 2
1830s 117 deaths 117 deaths 117 deaths 1
1840s 690.5 deaths 380 deaths 1,001 deaths 2
1860s 1,290 deaths 580 deaths 2,000 deaths 2
1880s 9.5 deaths 8 deaths 11 deaths 2
1890s 56 deaths 56 deaths 56 deaths 1
1900s 478 deaths 13 deaths 1,273 deaths 3
1910s 98.33 deaths 54 deaths 181 deaths 3
1920s 13.33 deaths 5 deaths 30 deaths 3
1930s 1,510 deaths 3 deaths 6,022 deaths 4
1940s 188.5 deaths 58 deaths 319 deaths 2
1950s 38 deaths 11 deaths 85 deaths 3
1960s 32.75 deaths 2 deaths 107 deaths 4
1970s 3.5 deaths 2 deaths 5 deaths 2
1980s 8.5 deaths 1 deaths 16 deaths 2
1990s 576.75 deaths 2 deaths 2,298 deaths 4
2000s 3.5 deaths 2 deaths 5 deaths 4
2010s 28.4 deaths 1 deaths 117 deaths 5
2020s 10.5 deaths 1 deaths 20 deaths 2

Countries ranked near Taiwan

  1. 7 Pakistan 42 deaths compare
  2. 8 Italy 36 deaths compare
  3. 9 Rwanda 32 deaths compare
  4. 11 Ecuador 15 deaths compare
  5. 12 Philippines 14 deaths compare
  6. 13 Egypt 11 deaths compare

See the full ranking of 51 places →

More health data for Taiwan

All data for Taiwan →

Frequently asked questions

What is deaths from earthquakes in Taiwan?
Deaths from earthquakes in Taiwan was 20 deaths in 2024, according to National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest deaths from earthquakes recorded in Taiwan?
The highest recorded value was 40,000 deaths in 1782.
What is the lowest deaths from earthquakes recorded in Taiwan?
The lowest recorded value was 1 deaths in 1988.
How does Taiwan rank for deaths from earthquakes?
Taiwan ranks 10th out of 51 countries with data for 2024.
Is deaths from earthquakes rising or falling in Taiwan?
Over the last ten years it is up 300.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Taiwan data come from?
The figures come from National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Deaths from earthquakes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Deaths from earthquakes in Taiwan. Statizoid, drawing on National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 26 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/earthquake-deaths/taiwan/

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About this data

Indicator
Deaths from earthquakes
Unit
deaths
Source
National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
51 places, 1,550 data points, 1500–2024
Last refreshed

Includes direct deaths from the event plus those from secondary impacts, such as a tsunami triggered by an earthquake. Due to data availability, recent data will be more complete than older historical estimates.