Released: 1/8/2010 11:00:00 AM

Contact Information:

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey

Office of Communication

119 National Center

Reston, VA 20192 Heidi Koontz

Phone: 303-202-4763

At least 1783 deaths worldwide resulted from earthquake activity in 2009.

The deadliest earthquake of the year was a magnitude 7.5 event that killed approximately 1117 people in southern Sumatra, Indonesia on Sept. 30, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and confirmed by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian

BANGKOK, 2 October 2009 (IRIN) - This week's disasters in Asia underscore the need for greater disaster preparedness, experts say; while countries are making progress, there are still gaps to be filled.

At least 1,100 people have been killed, with thousands more feared dead, in Indonesia after earthquakes struck off Western Sumatra and the city of Padang on 30 September.

On 29 September, the Pacific islands of Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga were battered by a tsunami after an earthquake struck, leaving at least 136 dead.

And just days before, tropical storm