USGS list of significant earthquakes
This is a list of significant earthquakes as listed by the USGS. For other ancient or recent
earthquakes not listed here, see the tables below.
Date
Time‡
January 23,
1556
August 17,
1668
January 26,
1700
November
10:16
1, 1755
December
8:00
16, 1811
January 23,
15:00
1812
February 7,
9:45
1812
June 2,
1823
8:00
June 10,
1836
15:30
June 1838
January 5,
2:45
1843
January 9,
16:24
1857
Place
Shaanxi, China
see Shaanxi
Earthquake
34.5 109.7 830,000 ~8
Anatolia, Turkey
40
36
8,000
Cascadia subduction zone
see Cascadia Earthquake
Lisbon, Portugal
see 1755 Lisbon
36
-11
c. 80,000
earthquake
New Madrid,
Missouri, USA
36.6 -89.6
see New Madrid
Earthquake
New Madrid,
36.6 -89.6
Missouri, USA
New Madrid,
36.6 -89.6
Missouri, USA
south flank of
Kilauea, Hawaii,
19.3 -155
USA
south San Francisco
Bay region,
36.9 -121.5
California, USA
San Francisco
Peninsula,
37.3 -123.2
California, USA
Marked Tree,
35.5 -90.5
Arkansas, USA
Fort Tejon, California (San
Andreas fault from Parkfield to
1
Wrightwood)
see Fort Tejon earthquake
December
21:00 Naples, Italy
16, 1857
October 8, 20:46 San Jose,
MX† (M
reference)
Lat. Long. Fatalities Mag.
40.3 16
37.2 121.9
11,000
8
9
M (Satake et al,
1996)
8.7
MI (Johnston,
1996)
8.1
MI (Johnston,
1996)
7.8
8
MI (Johnston,
1996)
MI (Johnston,
1996)
7
MI (Klein and
Wright, 2000)
6.5
MI (Bakun, 1999)
6.8
MI (Bakun, 1999)
6.3
MI (Johnston,
1996)
7.9
M (Grant and
Sieh, 1993; Stein
and Hanks, 1998)
6.9
MI
6.5
MI (Bakun, 1999)
1865
California, USA
Hilea, southeast
April 3,
2:25 Hawaii, Hawaii,
1868
USA
Hayward,
October
California, USA,
15:53
21, 1868
Hayward Fault
Zone
February
Molokai, Hawaii,
8:42
20, 1871
USA
Owens Valley,
March 26,
California, USA
10:30
1872
see 1872 Lone Pine
earthquake
December
5:40
15, 1872
November
23, 1873
August 31,
1886
April 24,
1890
October
27, 1891
April 19,
1892
April 21,
1892
October
31, 1895
June 15,
1896
June 12,
1897
June 20,
1897
March 31,
1898
April 15,
1898
north Cascades,
Washington, USA
California-Oregon
coast
Charleston, South
2:51
Carolina, USA
Corralitos,
11:36
California, USA
5:00
19.2 -155.5 77
7.9
MI (Klein and
Wright, 2000)
37.7 -122.1 30
6.8
MI (Bakun, 1999)
21.2 -156.9
6.8
MI (Klein and
Wright, 2000)
7.6
M (Beanland and
Clark, 1994)
47.9 -120.3
7.3
MI (Malone and
Bor, 1979;
Rogers et al.,
1983)
42.2 -124.2
7.3
MI (Bakun, 2000)
7.3
MI (Johnston,
1996)
6.3
MI (Bakun, 1999)
8
MS
6.4
MI (Bakun, 1999)
6.4
MI (Bakun, 1999)
6.6
MI (Johnston,
1996)
36.5 -118
32.9 -80
37
27
60
121.8
21:38 Mino-Owari, Japan 35.6 136.6 7,273
Vacaville,
38.5 -121.8 1
California, USA
Winters, California,
17:43
38.6 -122
USA
Charleston,
11:08
37
-89.4
Missouri, USA
10:50
19:32 Sanriku, Japan
39.5 144
11:06 Assam, India
26
20:14
7:43
7:07
91
Calaveras Fault,
37
-121.6
California, USA
Mare Island,
38.1 122.4
California, USA
Mendocino County,
39.3 -123.9
California, USA
~8.5 M
1,500
8.3
6.3
MI (Bakun, 1999)
6.3
MI (Bakun, 1999)
6.8
MI (Bakun, 2000)
September
0:22
4, 1899
September
21:41
10, 1899
October 9,
12:28
1900
March 3,
7:45
1901
August 27,
21:56
1904
July 9,
9:40
1905
January 31,
15:36
1906
April 18,
1906
August 17,
1906
December
28, 1908
July 1,
1911
October 3,
1915
October
11, 1918
Cape Yakataga,
Alaska, USA
Yakutat Bay,
Alaska, USA
Kodiak Island,
Alaska, USA
Parkfield,
California, USA
Fairbanks, Alaska,
USA
60
-142
7.9
MS
60
-142
8
MS
57.1 -153.5
7.7
MS
36.2 -120.7
6.4
MS (Abe, 1988)
64.7 -148.1
7.3
MS
49
8.4
M
1,000
8.8
M
San Francisco, California (San
Andreas fault from Cape
13:12 Mendocino to San Juan Bautista) 3,000
see San Francisco earthquake of
1906
7.8
M (Bakun, 1999)
0:40
8.2
M
7.2
MS
6.5
MS
Mongolia
Colombia-Ecuador 1
Valparaíso, Chile
-33
99
-81.5
-72
20,000
Messina & Reggio
38.3 15.6 70,000
Calabria, Italy
Calaveras fault,
22:00
37.39 -121.8
California, USA
Pleasant Valley,
6:52
40.5 -117.5
Nevada, USA
4:20
14:14 Puerto Rico
December
8:41
6, 1918
Vancouver Island,
British Columbia,
Canada
December
Ningxia-Gansu,
12:05
16, 1920
China
offshore, Cape
January 31,
13:17 Mendocino,
1922
California, USA
March 10,
Parkfield,
11:21
1922
California, USA
offshore, Cape
January 22,
9:04 Mendocino,
1923
California, USA
18.47 -67.63 116
49.62
125.92
7.1
7.5
7
36.6 105.32 200,000 8.6
40.7
125.55
35.9 120.9
40.49
125.32
M (Stover and
Coffman, 1993)
MS (McCann,
1985)
ML (Gutenberg
and Richter,
1954: Rogers,
1983)
MS
7.3
MG-R (Ellsworth,
1990)
6.1
M (Bakun and
McEvilly, 1984)
7.2
MG-R (Ellsworth,
1990)
Kantō, Japan
see Great Kantō
earthquake
Charlevoix,
2:19
Quebec, Canada
Clarkston Valley,
1:21
Montana, USA
Santa Barbara,
14:42
California, USA
Monterey Bay,
12:35
California, USA
Monterey Bay,
13:35
California, USA
September
2:58
1, 1923
March 1,
1925
June 28,
1925
June 29,
1925
October
22, 1926
October
22, 1926
March 7,
9:27
1927
May 22,
22:32
1927
November
13:51
4, 1927
35.4 139.08 143,000 7.9
M
47.76 -69.84
6.3
M (Bent, 1992)
111.52
6.6
M (Dosier, 1989)
46.32
34.3 -119.8 13
122.35
36.55
122.18
36.62
6.8
6.1
6.1
M (Stein and
Hanks, 1998)
MG-R (Ellsworth,
1990)
MG-R (Ellsworth,
1990)
Tango, Japan
35.8 134.92 3,020
7.6
MS
Tsinghai, China
37.39 102.31 200,000 7.9
MS
offshore Lompoc,
California, USA
Grand Banks,
November
20:32 Newfoundland,
18, 1929
Canada
December
Cedar Mountain,
6:10
21, 1932
Nevada, USA
March 2,
17:31 Sanriku, Japan
1933
Long Beach,
March 11,
California, USA
1:54
1933
see Long Beach
earthquake of 1933
November
23:21 Baffin Bay, Canada
20, 1933
January 15,
8:43 Bihar, India
1934
June 8,
Parkfield,
4:47
1934
California, USA
Témiscaming,
Quebec, Canada
November
6:03 See 1935
1, 1935
Timiskaming
earthquake.
July 22,
Salcha, Alaska,
17:09
1937
USA
121.03
7.1
M (Stein and
Hanks, 1998)
44.69 -56.01
7.3
M (Bent, 1995)
118.08
7.2
M
39.22 144.62 2,990
8.4
M
33.6 -118
6.4
M (Hauksson &
Gross, 1991)
34.92
38.51
73
115
-69.98
7.4
M (Stein et al.
1979)
M (Chen and
Molnar, 1977)
M (Bakun and
McEvilly, 1984)
27.55 87.09 10,700
8.1
35.9 -120.9
6.1
48.89 -79
6.2
M (Bent, 1996)
7.3
MS
64.49
146.85
January 23,
8:32 Maui, Hawaii, USA
1938
November
Shumagin Islands,
20:18
10, 1938
Alaska, USA
Erzincan, Turkey
December
23:57 see 1939 Erzincan
26, 1939
earthquake
May 19,
Imperial Valley,
4:36
1940
California, USA
November
1:39 Vrancea, RO
10, 1940
December
4:35 Tonankai, Japan
7, 1944
April 1,
Unimak Island,
12:28
1946
Alaska, USA
June 23,
1946
August 4,
1946
December
20, 1946
October
16, 1947
April 13,
1949
Vancouver Island,
17:13 British Columbia,
Canada
17:51
Dominican
Republic
19:19 Nankaidō, Japan
Fairbanks, Alaska,
USA
Olympia,
19:55
Washington, USA
Queen Charlotte
August 22,
4:01 Islands, British
1949
Columbia, Canada
August 15,
14:09 Assam-Tibet
1950
August 21,
10:57 Kona, Hawaii, USA
1951
July 21,
Kern County,
11:52
1952
California, USA
Kamchatka, Russia
November
16:58 see Kamchatka
4, 1952
earthquakes
March 29,
6:17 Spain
1954
July 6,
11:13 Rainbow Mountain,
2:09
156.18
55.33
158.37
6.8
MS (Klein and
Wright, 2000)
8.2
M
39.77 39.53 32,700
7.8
MS
32.73 -115.5 9
7.1
M (Ellsworth,
1990)
45.80 26.70 4,000
7.4
M (LT, 2007)
33.75 136
8.1
M
20.96
1,223
52.75 -163.5 165
7.3
49.75 -124.5
7.3
19.25 -69
8
MS (Abe, 1981)
32.5 134.5 1,330
8.1
M
64.2 -148.3
7.2
M
47.1 -122.7 8
7.1
53.62
100
MS (Stover and
Coffman, 1993)
ML (Gutenberg
and Richter,
1954: Rogers,
1983)
133.27
28.5 96.5
8.1
1,526
155.95
34.95
12
119.05
19.5
8.6
6.9
7.3
ML (Baker and
Langston, 1987)
MS (Gutenberg
and Richter,
1954)
M
MS (Klein and
Wright, 2000)
M (Stein and
Hanks, 1998)
52.76 160.06
9
M
37.03 -3.51
7.9
M
39.42 -
6.6
M (Ellsworth,
1954
August 24,
1954
December
16, 1954
December
16, 1954
October
24, 1955
March 9,
1957
5:51
11:07
11:11
4:10
14:22
December
3:37
4, 1957
April 7,
15:30
1958
July 10,
1958
6:15
August 18,
6:37
1959
February
29, 1960
23:40
May 22,
1960
19:11
March 28,
3:36
1964
June 16,
4:01
1964
February 4,
5:01
1965
Nevada, USA
Stillwater, Nevada,
USA
Fairview Peak,
Nevada, USA
Dixie Valley,
Nevada, USA
Concord,
California, USA
Andreanof Islands,
Alaska, USA
see 1957 Andreanof
Islands Earthquake
Govi-Altai
Province, Mongolia
Huslia, Alaska,
USA
Fairweather,
Alaska, USA
comment caused
megatsunami in
Lituya Bay, Alaska
Hebgen Lake,
Montana, USA
Agadir, Morocco
see 1960 Agadir
earthquake)
Valdivia, Chile
see Great Chilean
Earthquake
Prince William
Sound, Alaska,
USA
see Good Friday
Earthquake
118.53
39.58
118.45
Niigata, Japan
38.43 139.23 26
6.8
39.32 -118.2
7.1
39.5 -118
6.8
38
-122.1 1
5.4
51.56
175.39
9.1
M
8.1
M
45.15 99.21 30
65.94
156.37
7.3
M
58.37
5
136.66
7.7
M
44.6
28
110.64
7.3
M (Dosier, 1985)
5.7
M
9.5
M
9.2
M
7.5
M
8.7
M
30.5 -9.3
10,000
-73.05 5,700
38.24
61.02
125
147.65
Rat Islands, Alaska,
51.21 -178.5
USA
April 29,
1965
Seattle-Tacoma,
15:28
Washington, USA
47.32
7
122.33
6.5
June 28,
4:26
35.88 -
6.1
Parkfield,
1990)
M (Ellsworth,
1990)
M (Ellsworth,
1990)
M (Ellsworth,
1990)
ML (Bolt and
Miller, 1975)
ML (Algermissen
and Harding,
1965)
M (Tsai and Aki,
1966
September
12, 1966
December
10, 1967
October 2,
1969
May 31,
1970
July 31,
1970
California, USA
120.49
Truckee, California,
16:41
39.38
USA
120.22
22:51 Koyna, India
6.3
1
122.76
5.7
20:23 Peru
-9.25 -78.84 66,000
7.9
M
17:08 Colombia
-1.49 -72.56
8
MS
6.7
M (Heaton, 1982)
12.35 86.12 6,000
6.2
MW (Brown, R.
D., P. L. Ward,
and G. Plafker
(1973))
40.72 122.73 10,000
7
M (Cipar, 1979)
6:19
Santa Rosa,
California, USA
17.39 73.77
5.9
1969)
M (Tsai and Aki,
1970)
M (Langston,
1976)
ML (Bolt and
Miller, 1975)
38.3
Sylmar, California,
February 9,
USA
14:00
34.4
65
1971
see Sylmar
118.39
earthquake
December
Managua,
06:29
23, 1972
Nicaragua
February 4,
11:36 Haicheng, China
1975
August 1,
Oroville, California,
20:20
1975
USA
south flank of
November
14:47 Kilauea, Hawaii,
29, 1975
USA
February 4,
9:01 Guatemala
1976
Tangshan, China
July 27,
19:42 see Tangshan
1976
earthquake
Tabas, Yazd
September
Province, Iran
19:38
16, 1978
see 1978 Tabas
earthquake
August 6,
Coyote Lake,
17:05
1979
California, USA
October
Imperial Valley,
23:17
15, 1979
California, USA
January 24,
Livermore,
19:00
1980
California, USA
May 25,
Mammoth Lakes,
16:33
1980
California, USA
39.5
121.39
5.8
M
19.45
2
155.03
7.2
MS (Klein and
Wright, 2000)
15.3 -89.14 23,000
7.5
M
39.61 117.89 242,419* 7.6
M
7.7
121.52
32.82
115.65
37.71
121.73
37.6
118.83
37.11
5.7
6.4
5.8
6.1
M (Ellsworth,
1990)
M (Hartzell and
Heaton, 1983)
M (Bolt et al.,
1981)
M (Ellsworth,
1990)
May 25,
1980
May 25,
1980
May 27,
1980
November
8, 1980
16:49
19:44
14:50
10:27
November
19:34
23, 1980
May 2,
1983
October
28, 1983
November
16, 1983
April 24,
1984
November
23, 1984
23:42
14:06
16:13
21:15
18:08
September
13:17
19, 1985
December
23, 1985
May 7,
1986
July 8,
1986
July 21,
1986
5:16
22:47
9:20
14:42
October 1,
14:42
1987
Mammoth Lakes,
California, USA
Mammoth Lakes,
California, USA
Mammoth Lakes,
California, USA
Gorda Plate,
California, USA
Conza della
Campania,
Avellino, Italy
Coalinga,
California, USA
Borah Peak, Idaho,
USA
Kaoiki, Hawaii,
USA
Morgan Hill,
California, USA
Round Valley,
California, USA
Michoacán, Mexico
see Great Mexican
Earthquake
Nahanni, Northwest
Territories, Canada
Andreanof Islands,
Alaska, USA
north Palm Springs,
California, USA
Chalfant Valley,
California, USA
Whittier Narrows,
California, USA
see Whittier
Narrows earthquake
November
19:23 Gulf of Alaska
30, 1987
Tennant Creek,
January 22,
0:35 Northern Territory,
1988
Australia
January 22, 3:57 Tennant Creek,
37.65 -118.9
5.9
118.82
5.8
37.55
37.48 -118.8
41.12
124.67
40.87 15.31 2735
36.23
120.32
6
7.2
7
6.5
44.09 -113.8 2
7
19.44 155.38
6.7
121.71
6.2
37.45 -118.6
5.7
37.3
18.44
9,500
102.36
124.31
51.56
174.81
33.97
116.78
37.53
118.43
62.16
6.8
8
6.1
6.2
M
M (Ellsworth,
1990)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (Ellsworth,
1990)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (Wetmiller et
al., 1988)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (Hartzell,
1989)
M (Ellsworth,
1990)
5.9
M (Hartzell and
Iida, 1990)
58.84 -142.6
7.9
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
133.78
19.87
6.3
M (Choy and
Bowman, 1990)
-
6.4
M (Choy and
34.06
8
118.13
8
ML (Ellsworth,
1990)
M (Ellsworth,
1990)
M (Ellsworth,
1990)
M (Ellsworth,
1990)
133.83
1988
Northern Territory, 19.88
Australia
Tennant Creek,
January 22,
12:04 Northern Territory, -19.9 133.83
1988
Australia
March 6,
22:35 Gulf of Alaska
57.26
1988
142.75
November
Saguenay, Quebec,
23:46
48.06 -71.27
25, 1988
Canada
December
7:41 Spitak, Armenia
40.93 44.11
7, 1988
Loma Prieta,
October
California, USA
0:04
37.14
17, 1989
see Loma Prieta
121.76
earthquake
December
Ungava Peninsula,
14:24
60.07 -73.54
25, 1989
Quebec, Canada
June 28,
Sierra Madre,
1:43
34.25
1991
California, USA
117.95
August 17,
Honeydew,
22:17
41.79
1991
California, USA
125.58
April 23,
Joshua Tree,
4:50
33.87
1992
California, USA
116.55
April 25,
Cape Mendocino,
18:06
40.38
1992
California, USA
124.05
offshore, Cape
April 26,
7:41 Mendocino,
40.55
1992
124.29
California, USA
offshore, Cape
April 26,
11:18 Mendocino,
40.44
1992
124.43
California, USA
June 28,
Landers, California,
11:57
34.2
1992
USA
116.52
Little Skull
June 29,
10:14 Mountain, Nevada, 36.77
1992
116.32
USA
September
0:16 Nicaragua
11.77 -87.35
2, 1992
September
22:25 Latur-Killari, India 18.08 76.52
29, 1993
Northridge,
January 17,
12:30 California, USA
34.18
1994
118.56
see 1994 Northridge
Bowman, 1990)
6.6
7.8
5.9
M (Choy and
Bowman, 1990)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (Boatwright
and Choy, 1992)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
25,000
6.8
63
6.9
M (Wald et al.,
1991)
6
M (Bent, 1994)
2
5.6
7.1
6.1
7.2
3
M (Wald et al.,
1991)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (Hauksson et
al., 1993)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
6.5
M (Oppenheimer
et al., 1993)
6.7
M (Oppenheimer
et al., 1993)
7.3
M (Sieh et al.
1993)
5.7
M (Walter, 1993)
116
7.7
9,748
6.2
60
6.7
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
Earthquake
June 9,
0:33 Bolivia
1994
September
Cape Mendocino,
15:15
1, 1994
California, USA
Kobe, Japan
January 17,
05:46 see Great Hanshin
1995
earthquake
May 21,
22:51 Jabalpur, India
1997
July 17,
8:49 New Guinea
1998
January 25,
18:19 Colombia
1999
İzmit, Turkey
August 17,
0:01 see İzmit
1999
earthquake
Chi-Chi, Taiwan
September
17:47 see Chi-Chi
20, 1999
earthquake
October
Hector Mine,
9:46
16, 1999
California, USA
November
16:57 Düzce, Turkey
12, 1999
September
Napa, California,
8:36
3, 2000
USA
November
New Ireland, Papua
4:54
16, 2000
New Guinea
January 13,
17:33 El Salvador
2001
Gujarat, India
January 26,
3:16 see 2001 Gujarat
2001
Earthquake
Olympia,
February
Washington, USA
18:54
28, 2001
see Nisqually
Earthquake
June 23,
20:33 coastal Peru
2001
Hindu Kush
March 25,
14:56 Region,
2002
Afghanistan
-67.49 5
13.86
40.38
125.78
8.2
7.1
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
34.57 135.03 5,502
6.9
23.07 80.12 38
5.8
-2.94 142.58 2,183
7
4.45 -75.65 1,185
6.2
40.77 30
7.6
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
23.82 120.86 2,400
7.7
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
116.44
7.2
34.56
17,118
40.82 31.23 894
7.2
38.38
122.41
5
-4
152.33
8
M (Singh et al.,
1999)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (BRK)
13.04 -88.66 844
7.7
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
23.39 70.23 20,085
7.7
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
47.11 -122.6
6.8
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
-16.3 -73.55 75
8.4
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
36.06 69.32 1,000
6.1
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
April 20,
2002
November
3, 2002
May 21,
2003
September
25, 2003
November
17, 2003
December
22, 2003
Au Sable Forks,
44.51 -73.7
New York
Denali National
22:12
63.52
Park, Alaska, USA
147.44
10:50
18:44 Boumerdès, Algeria 36.96 3.63
19:50 Hokkaidō, Japan
06:43
19:15
December
01:56
26, 2003
September
17:15
28, 2004
December
00:58
26, 2004
March 28,
16:09
2005
Rat Islands, Alaska,
USA
San Simeon,
California, USA
southeastern Iran
see Bam: 2003
earthquake
Parkfield,
California, USA
see Parkfield
earthquake
off west coast
northern Sumatra
see 2004 Indian
Ocean earthquake
Northern Sumatra,
Indonesia
see 2005 Sumatra
earthquake
2,266
5.2
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
7.9
M (QED)
6.8
M (QED)
41.82 143.91
8.3
51.15 178.65
7.8
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
2
121.10
6.6
29.00 58.31 31,000
6.6
M (PDE Monthly
Listing)
120.37
6.0
M (QED)
3.30 95.87 283,106 9.3
M (QED)
2.07 97.01 1,313
M (QED)
35.71
35.81
8.7