HONG KONG, May 27: A powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale struck the Indonesian island of Java on Saturday, killing more than 3,500 people.

The following are some of the deadliest earthquakes worldwide over the last 100 years with estimates of surface magnitude. The Richter scale of magnitude did not come into being until 1935:

Oct 8, 2005

Pakistan: A quake measuring 7.6 kills more than 75,000 people in the North West Frontier Province and Azad Kashmir. Some 3.5 million are displaced.

Dec 26, 2004

Banda Aceh, Indonesia: More than 220,000 people die after an undersea earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra sparks a tsunami wave that ponds countries around the Indian Ocean. Magnitude more than 9.0

Dec 26, 2003

Bam, Iran: 31,884 people die and 18,000 are injured. Magnitude 6.7

Jan 26, 2001

Gujarat, India: 25,000 people killed, 166,000 injured. Magnitude 6.7

June 20, 1990

Northwestern Iran: More than 40,000 killed and 100,000 injured. Magnitude 7.7

July 28, 1976

Tangshan city in Hebei province, China: 242,000 dead and 164,000 injured. Magnitude 7.8

May 31, 1970

Mount Huascaran, Peru: Earthquake and subsequent avalanche killed 66,800. Magnitude 7.5

Dec 26, 1939

Erzincan, Turkey: 35-40,000 killed. Magnitude 8.0

May 30, 1935

Quetta: More than 50,000 killed. Magnitude 7.6

May 23, 1927

Gansu province, China: Up to 80,000 thought to have died. Magnitude 8.0

May 22, 1927

Nanshan province, China: Up to 200,000 people may have been killed. Magnitude 8.0

Sept 1, 1923

Yokohama, Japan: More than 140,000 people died in earthquake and subsequent fire. Magnitude 8.2

Dec 16, 1920

Ningxia, China: About 235,000 reported killed. Magnitude 8.5

Dec 28, 1908

Messina, Italy: Earthquake and tidal wave killed 83,000.—AFP