FACTBOX: Deadliest earthquakes on record

(Reuters) - China struggled to bury its dead and help tens of thousands of injured and homeless on Friday when a powerful aftershock brought new havoc four days after the most devastating earthquake to hit the country in three decades.

China put the death toll at 21,500 on Friday but has said it expects it to exceed 50,000.

Following is a list of the deadliest earthquakes on record.

Year Location Number of fatalities Magnitude

1556 China, Shansi 830,000 n/a

1976 China, Tangshan 270,500 7.5

2004 Off Sumatra west coast 232,010 9.15

1138 Syria, Aleppo 230,000 n/a

1927 China, near Xining 200,000 n/a

c.856 Iran, Damghan 200,000 n/a

1920 China, Gansu 200,000 8.6

c.893 Iran, Ardabil 150,000 n/a

1923 Japan, Kanto 143,000* n/a

1948 Turkmenistan 110,000 7.3

1908 Italy, Messina est.70,000-100,000 7.2

1290 China, Chihli 100,000 n/a