Japan: Living With Daily Tremors
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Japan records the most earthquakes of anywhere in the world due to its high seismic activity and dense seismic detection network. In light of recent events, when other countries were celebrating the new year 2024, Japan was hit by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake. The devastating memories of the 2011 tsunami that killed over eighteen thousand people still haunt Japanese society.
The Japan earthquake 2024 recorded 180 confirmed deaths, serious damage, or destruction of homes, as of 9 Jan. It was also the strongest event of the year and the deadliest in the country since 2011. Despite having some of the world’s most advanced earthquake-resistant construction and early warning systems, public anxiety about the next big one never truly fades. Schools regularly conduct earthquake drills, and every household keeps emergency kits ready at all times.
Turkey: After the February Catastrophe
At least 59,488 people died in the Turkey–Syria doublets of February, which dominated world headlines because of its extensive devastation. On Feb. 6, 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, killing more than 50,000 people. The Turkish public now lives in constant fear, especially after witnessing entire apartment buildings collapse like houses of cards.
In 2023, Turkey recorded the highest damages to buildings, supply structures, and streets and led to more than 100,000 injuries including deaths. In the second category, Turkey was rated as having a “very high” vulnerability to natural disasters. Building codes that weren’t properly enforced became death traps, leaving survivors traumatized and questioning every structure around them. The psychological impact runs so deep that many people still sleep outdoors months after major quakes, terrified of being trapped inside collapsing buildings.
Indonesia: The Ring of Fire’s Relentless Grip
The global disaster risk index 2023 with the highest WRI was given to the Philippines of 46.86, followed by Indonesia (43.5) and India (41.52). Ranked second, Indonesia witnessed 1,872 the same year. This archipelago nation sits right on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates meet in violent collision.
In late November of 2023, a magnitude-5.6 quake struck Cianjur, a town in the west of the country, killing more than 330 people and destroying countless homes. With quakes in 2006 and 2018 that took 6,000 lives each, Indonesia is a hotbed for some of the planet’s most devastating seismic disasters. Families across the country know they’re literally living on borrowed time, with the earth beneath their feet shifting unpredictably. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake that triggered the devastating tsunami killed nearly two hundred and thirty thousand people, leaving an entire generation scarred by the memory.
Philippines: Twenty-Four Tremors in One Year
The global disaster risk index 2023 with the highest WRI was given to the Philippines of 46.86, followed by Indonesia (43.5) and India (41.52). Since the onset of 2024, 24 earthquakes of magnitude 5 or more – including a 6.7-magnitude quake – have already rattled the Philippines, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. That’s basically one significant earthquake every two weeks, keeping the nation’s nerves constantly on edge.
Given its island location in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the country, much like Japan, faces the added danger of tsunamis triggered by earthquakes. Filipino families live with the double terror of both ground shaking and potential giant waves crashing ashore. Children grow up practicing earthquake drills as naturally as they learn their ABCs, while adults keep go-bags ready by their doors.
Myanmar: Fresh Wounds from 2025’s Devastation
Thousands of families in Myanmar remain without shelter, water or medical care three weeks after deadly earthquakes struck the country, as frequent aftershocks compound the suffering of communities already battered by conflict and poverty. Military operations continue in Myanmar despite ceasefires declared after the recent earthquake that killed more than 3,600 people, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Friday. The recent 7.7 magnitude earthquake near Mandalay has left the population in perpetual fear.
Frequent strong aftershocks continue to shake central Myanmar almost daily, increasing fear and uncertainty. There are fears that the aftershocks may persist for months following such a major earthquake, given that Myanmar is in a highly tectonically active region, OCHA added. Many families refuse to go back indoors, sleeping under open skies rather than risk being crushed by falling debris. The psychological trauma is so intense that even the slightest vibration from passing trucks sends people running into the streets.
China: One-Third of World’s Continental Earthquakes
With a position at the intersection of three tectonic plates – the Eurasian, Pacific and Indian Ocean – China is very seismically active, with about a third of the world’s continental destructive earthquakes occurring in the country, according to the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery. China’s most recent major earthquake, in late January of 2024, had a magnitude of 7.1. This staggering statistic means Chinese citizens live with an ever-present awareness that the ground beneath them could shake violently at any moment.
It struck near the country’s border with Kyrgyzstan, killing at least three and causing thousands more to be evacuated, CNN reported. China in 2008 (Sichuan Earthquake) with $85 billion of costs to the economy. The 2008 Sichuan earthquake remains etched in collective memory, having killed nearly ninety thousand people. Parents still wake up in cold sweats remembering images of collapsed schools with children trapped inside.
Morocco: Unprecedented Destruction in the Atlas Mountains
At least 2,960 deaths were reported, with most occurring outside Marrakesh. It is the strongest instrumentally recorded earthquake in Morocco, the deadliest in the country since the 1960 Agadir earthquake, and the second-deadliest earthquake of 2023 after the Turkey–Syria earthquakes. The 2023 Al Haouz earthquake was one of the deadliest and the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in modern-day Morocco. The September 2023 earthquake shattered Morocco’s sense of seismic safety that had lasted for decades.
Many residents remained outdoors for fear of another earthquake. Residents of the city spent the first three nights outdoors; filling up roundabouts, car parks and a public square. The psychological impact was so severe that even in the relatively safe city of Marrakesh, people refused to go back inside their homes. Traditional mud-brick houses in rural areas collapsed instantly, leaving survivors questioning whether any building could protect them from nature’s fury.
Afghanistan: Four Major Quakes in One Month
In October, four Mw 6.3 earthquakes struck Afghanistan’s Herat Province, killing over 1,400 people. This unprecedented cluster of major earthquakes in a single province within weeks created a climate of absolute terror among the local population. Families who survived the first earthquake found themselves facing three more devastating tremors before they could even begin to recover.
The already war-torn nation struggled to cope with this natural disaster on top of decades of conflict. Many Afghans now view earthquakes as just another threat in their daily survival, alongside ongoing violence and economic collapse. Children who’ve never known peace now also live with the constant fear that the earth might swallow them whole without warning.
Taiwan: The Strongest Earthquake in Two Decades
In the early hours of April 3, 2024, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake – the nation’s strongest in over two decades – struck coastal Taiwan, killing nine people, injuring hundreds and trapping some 70 miners. This earthquake reminded Taiwanese citizens that their island paradise sits on one of the world’s most active fault zones.
Taiwan is regularly jolted by earthquakes, as are other countries in East Asia. The 2024 earthquake brought back haunting memories of the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake that killed over two thousand people. Despite Taiwan’s excellent building codes and preparedness, the public knows that Mother Nature can always deliver a punch stronger than any human engineering can withstand.
Ecuador: Seventy Earthquakes Every Year
Each year, Ecuador experiences upwards of 70 earthquakes, though most tend toward minor intensities. With most concentrated along the country’s western coast, they pose a considerable threat due to the denser population there relative to the east. Living with roughly one earthquake every five days means Ecuadorians never truly relax, always keeping one ear open for the telltale rumbling that precedes major shaking.
The coastal cities where most people live face the highest risk, creating a situation where millions of citizens go to bed each night wondering if they’ll wake up to their homes intact. The psychological toll of constant low-level seismic activity creates a background anxiety that affects everything from sleep patterns to major life decisions like where to build homes and schools.
The earth beneath our feet might seem solid and dependable, but for citizens in these ten countries, that’s nothing more than a dangerous illusion. In 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recorded 61,521 deaths related to earthquakes. These aren’t just statistics – they’re neighbors, family members, and entire communities whose lives were cut short by forces beyond human control. While some nations have developed better building codes and early warning systems, the fundamental fear remains unchanged. Can you imagine living each day knowing the ground might literally disappear from under you at any moment?