On this day: 24 December

The deadliest recorded disaster on 24 December was the 1854 magnitude 8.4 earthquake near Nankaido, which killed 3,000 people.

Historic disasters

Recorded deaths

3,213

Eruptions began

Major events since 1900

Disasters on 24 December in history

Damaging earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions from the NOAA Natural Hazards database, deadliest first.

M8.4 earthquake, Nankaido
24 December 1854JapanTriggered a tsunami3,000 killed20,000 homes destroyed
Ruapehu eruption
24 December 1953New Zealand151 killed
M6.1 earthquake, La Poma
24 December 1930Argentina31 killed70 injured
M6.5 earthquake, Huancabamba,Oxapampa,el Progreso,San David
24 December 1937Peru15 killed92 homes destroyed
Kuchinoerabujima eruption (VEI 4)
24 December 1933Japan8 killed26 injured
Earthquake, Ayacucho,Pomabamba,Moyobamba,Huahuapuquio
24 December 1959Peru7 killed37 injured250 homes destroyed
M5.6 earthquake, New Hampshire; Maine
24 December 1940USA1 killed1 injured
M4.2 earthquake, Rajasthan
24 December 2006India
M4.3 earthquake, Akhisar
24 December 2005Turkey
M5.2 earthquake, Kermanshah
24 December 2002Iran15 injured3,000 homes destroyed
Earthquake, Atlantic
24 December 1934Azores (Portugal)
Tsunami, Southeast Australia
24 December 1868AustraliaWaves up to 1.2 m
M5.5 earthquake, Sichuan Province
24 December 1854China
Earthquake, Tonga Trench
24 December 1853TongaTriggered a tsunami
Earthquake, Batangas, N Mindanao
24 December 1852Philippines
M7.0 earthquake, Bandaneira
24 December 1852IndonesiaTriggered a tsunami
M8.0 earthquake, Valdivia, Chiloe
24 December 1737ChileTriggered a tsunami

Big earthquakes and major disasters on 24 December in recent decades.

From the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program eruption record.