3. Aleppo, Syria – 1138
One of the deadliest earthquakes in world history occurred in the ancient city of Aleppo, Syria. During these times, record keeping and reporting weren’t as advanced as they are today. So most of the knowledge about this 1138 earthquake came from a chronicler in Damascus, Ibn al-Qalanisi. On October 10, he noted a small earthquake. The very next day, the huge quake struck and turned the city of Aleppo into rubble. Buildings collapsed, and the quake was felt as far as 220 miles south. An estimated 230,000 people were killed based on historical records.
