Appendix

Catastrophic and Notable Earthquakes

Year Date Region Deaths Magnitude

342 Antioch, Turkey 40,000

365 July 21 Crete, Greece 50,000
551 July 9 Beirut, Lebanon 7.2
684 November 29 Nankaido, Japan 8.4
745 June 5 Mino, Japan 7.9
818 August 10 Tokyo, Japan 7.9
856 December Corinth, Greece 45,000
869 July 13 Osju, Japan 8.6
887 August 26 Mino, Japan 8.6
893 India 180,000
1038 January 9 Shanxi Province, China 23,000 7.3
1057 Chihli, China 25,000
1068 March 18 Palestine 25,000
1138 September 8 Aleppo, Syria 100,000
1202 May 20 Middle East 30,000
1268 Seyhan Province, Turkey 60,000
1290 September 27 Chihli, China 100,000
1293 May 20 Kamakura, Japan 30,000 7.1
1303 September 17 Shanxi Province, China 15,000 8.0
1361 August 3 Kinai, Japan 8.4
1455 December 5 Naples, Italy 40,000
1498 September 20 Totomi, Japan 8.6
1531 January 26 Lisbon, Portugal 30,000
1556 January 23 Shanxi Province, China 830,000 8.0
1570 February 8 Concepción, Chile 8.0
1575 December 16 Valdivia, Chile 8.5
1604 November 24 Arica, Chile 8.5
1605 January 31 Shikoku Island, Japan 7.9
1611 December 2 Sendai, Japan 8.1
1626 July 30 Naples, Italy 70,000
1638 June 11 Plymouth, Massachusetts
1647 May 13 Santiago, Chile 1,000 8.5
1653 February 23 Izmir, Turkey 15,000
1657 March 15 Concepción, Chile 8.0
1663 February 5 St. Lawrence River, Canada 7.0
1667 November Shemaka, Caucasia 80,000
1668 July 5 Turkey 15,000
1668 July 25 Shantung Province, China 50,000 8.5
1677 April 13 Tsugaru, Japan 8.1
1692 June 7 Port Royal, Jamaica 2,000
1693 January 11 Catania, Italy 60,000
1695 May 18 Shanxi Province, China 30,000 8.0
1703 December 30 Tokyo, Japan 5,200 8.2
1707 October 28 Shikoku Island, Japan 4,900 8.4
(Continued )

929
930 Appendix

(Continued)
Year Date Region Deaths Magnitude

1715 May Algeirs, Algeria 20,000

1727 November 18 Tabriz, Iran 77,000
1730 December 30 Hokkaido Island, Japan 137,000
1730 July 8 Valparaiso, Chile 8.5
1737 October 11 Calcutta, India 300,000
1739 January 3 Ningxia Province, China 50,000 8.0
1746 October 28 Lima, Peru 5,000 8.4
1751 May 20 Echigo, Japan 2,000 6.6
1751 May 25 Concepción, Chile 8.5
1755 June 7 Northern Persia 40,000
1755 November 1 Lisbon, Portugal 70,000 8.6
1755 November 18 Cape Ann, Massachusetts 6.0
1757 August 6 Sicily, Italy 10,000
1759 October 30 Baalbek, Lebanon 30,000
1773 July 29 Guatemala 100
1783 February 4 Calabria, Italy 50,000
1792 May 21 Kyushu Island, Japan 15,000
1797 February 4 Quito, Ecuador 41,000
1811 December 16 New Madrid, Missouri l 7.5
1812 January 23 New Madrid, Missouri 7.3
1812 February 7 New Madrid, Missouri 7.8
1812 March 25 Caracas, Venezuela 20,000
1815 November 27 Bali, Indonesia 10,200
1819 April 3 Copiapó, Chile 8.0
1819 June 16 Kutch, India 1,543
1822 September 5 Aleppo, Syria 22,000
1822 November 19 Valparaiso, Chile 72 8.0
1828 December 18 Echigo (Niigata), Japan 30,000 6.9
1835 February 20 Concepción, Chile 8.5
1836 June 10 Hayward, California 8.0
1837 Syria and Palestine 5,000
1838 June San Francisco, California 8.2
1843 April 25 Yedo, Japan 8.4
1847 May 8 Zenkoji, Japan 12,000 7.4
1850 September 12 Sichuan Province, China 21,000 7.5
1854 December 23 Simoda, Japan 3,000 8.4
1855 January 23 Wairarapa, New Zealand 5 8.1
1855 November 11 Sagami, Japan 7,000 6.9
1857 January 9 Fort Tejon, California 1 8.3
1857 December 16 Naples, Italy 12,000 6.5
1859 June 2 Erzurum, Turkey 15,000 6.1
1861 March 10 Mendoza, Argentina 8,000 7.5
1863 July 2 Manila, Philippines 10,000
1868 April 2 Hawaii 46 7.7
1868 August 13 Arica, Chile 25,000 8.5
1868 August 16 Ibarra, Ecuador 70,000
1868 October 21 Hayward, California 30 7.5
1870 October 20 Montreal, Quebec, Canada 6.5
1872 March 26 Owens Valley, California 27 8.5
1875 February 11 Jalisco, Mexico 7.5
1875 May 16 Cúcuta, Colombia 10,000
Appendix 931

(Continued)
Year Date Region Deaths Magnitude

1877 May 9 Iquique, Chile 8.0

1883 August 26 Java, Indonesia 36,000
1883 October 15 Cesme–Urla, Turkey 15,000
1886 August 31 Charleston, South Carolina 110 7.0
1891 October 28 Mino–Owari Provinces (Nobi), Japan 7,000 7.9
1896 June 15 Riku-Ugo, Japan 22,000 7.5
1897 June 12 Assam, India 1,500 8.7
1897 September 21 Basilan, Philippines 8.7
1897 October 18 Samar, Philippines 8.1
1898 April 29 Nicaragua 7.9
1899 January 29 Oaxaca, Mexico 8.9
1899 September 3 Yakutat Bay, Alaska 7.8
1899 September 10 Yakatut Bay, Alaska 8.6
1900 June 21 Cayman Islands 7.9
1900 October 9 Chugach Mountains, Alaska 8.6
1901 December 13 Andreanof Islands, Alaska 7.8
1901 December 13 Unimak Island, Alaska 7.8
1902 April 19 Quetzaltenango, Guatemala 8.3
1902 September 23 Chiapas, Mexico 7.8
1903 January 4 Tonga 8.0
1903 January 14 Oaxaca, Mexico 8.3
1903 February 27 Java 8.1
1903 June 2 Aleutian Islands, Alaska 8.3
1903 August 11 Thessaly, Greece 8.3
1904 June 7 Japan 7.9
1904 June 25 Kamchatka Peninsula 8.3
1904 August 27 Kolyma, Siberia 8.3
1904 December 20 Costa Rica 8.3
1905 February 14 Andreanof Islands, Alaska 7.9
1905 April 4 Kangra, India 19,000 8.6
1905 July 23 Lake Baikal, Russia 8.7
1905 September 8 Calabria, Italy 557 7.9
1906 January 21 Honshu Island, Japan 8.4
1906 January 31 Colombia–Ecuador 8.9
1906 March 16 Kagi, Taiwan 1,258 7.1
1906 April 18 San Francisco, California 700 8.3
1906 August 16 Valparaiso, Chile 1,500 8.6
1906 August 17 Rat Islands, Alaska 8.3
1906 September 14 New Guinea 8.4
1906 December 22 Sikiang Province, China 8.3
1907 January 16 Kingston, Jamaica 1,000 6.5
1907 April 15 Acapulco, Mexico 8.3
1907 September 2 Near Islands, Alaska 7.8
1907 October 21 Karatag, Tadzhikistan 12,000 8.1
1908 March 26 Guerrero, Mexico 8.1
1908 December 28 Messina, Italy 58,000 7.5
1909 January 23 Iran (west-central) 5,500 7.3
1909 February 22 Fiji 7.9
1909 March 13 Honshu Island, Japan 8.3
1909 July 7 Hindu Kush 8.1
(Continued )
932 Appendix

(Continued)
Year Date Region Deaths Magnitude

1909 July 31 Guerrero, Mexico 7.8

1910 April 12 Ryukyu Islands, Japan 8.3
1910 June 16 Loyalty Island, New Caledonia 8.6
1911 January 3 Tyan Shan, Turkistan 8.7
1911 February 18 Ferghana (Pamir), Russia 7.8
1911 June 7 Jalisco, Mexico 45 8.0
1911 June 15 Ryukyu Islands, Japan 8.7
1912 May 23 Burma 8.0
1913 March 14 Molucca Islands 8.3
1914 January 30 San Luis, Argentina 8.2
1914 May 26 New Guinea 8.0
1914 November 24 Mariana Islands 8.7
1915 January 13 Avezzano, Italy 32,600 7.5
1915 May 1 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia 8.1
1915 October 2 Pleasant Valley, Nevada 7.6
1916 January 13 New Guinea 8.1
1917 January 21 Bali, Indonesia 15,000
1917 May 1 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia 8.1
1917 June 26 Samoa Islands 8.7
1918 February 13 Guangdong Province, China 10,000 7.3
1918 August 15 Carolina Islands 8.3
1918 September 7 Kuril Islands 8.3
1918 October 11 Puerto Rico 116 7.5
1919 January 1 Tonga 8.3
1919 April 17 Guatemala 7.0
1919 April 30 Tonga 8.4
1920 January 3 Veracruz, Mexico 648 7.8
1920 June 5 Taiwan 8.3
1920 June 5 Fiji 8.3
1920 December 16 Ningxia Province, China 200,000 8.6
1921 November 15 Hindu Kush 8.1
1921 December 18 Peru 7.9
1922 March 10 Cholame Valley, California 6.5
1922 November 11 Atacama, Chile 8.4
1923 February 3 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia 8.4
1923 March 24 Sichuan Province, China 5,000 7.3
1923 May 26 Iran (northeastern) 2,200 5.5
1923 September 1 Kanto (Tokyo–Yokohama), Japan 143,000 8.3
1924 April 14 Mindanao, Philippines 8.3
1925 February 28 St. Lawrence River, Canada 7.0
1925 March 16 Yunnan Province, China 7.1
1925 June 27 Manhattan, Montana 6.7
1925 June 29 Santa Barbara, California 13 6.3
1926 June 26 Rhodes, Dodecanese Islands 8.3
1927 March 7 Tango Peninsula, Japan 3,020 7.8
1927 May 23 Kansu Province, China 41,000 8.3
1927 November 4 Santa Barbara, California 7.5
1928 June 17 Oaxaca, Mexico 7.9
1928 December 1 Talca, Chile 8.3
1929 March 7 Fox Islands, Alaska 8.6
1929 May 1 Shirwan, Iran 5,800 7.2
Appendix 933

(Continued)
Year Date Region Deaths Magnitude

1929 June 16 Buller, New Zealand 17 7.8

1929 June 27 South Sandwich Islands 8.3
1929 October 5 Hawaii 6.5
1930 May 7 Iran (northwestern) 2,510 7.2
1930 July 23 Campania, Italy 1,425 6.5
1931 January 15 Oaxaca, Mexico 7.9
1931 February 2 Hawkes Bay, New Zealand 256 7.9
1931 October 3 Solomon Islands 8.1
1932 May 14 Celebes, Indonesia 8.3
1932 May 26 Tonga 7.9
1932 June 18 Jalisco, Mexico 7.9
1932 June 22 Colima, Mexico 7.9
1932 December 20 Cedar Mountain, Nevada 7.3
1932 December 26 Kansu, China 70,000 7.6
1933 March 3 Sanriku Coast, Japan 3,000 8.9
1933 March 10 Long Beach, California 120 6.3
1934 January 15 Bihar, India 10,700 8.4
1934 March 12 Kosmo, Utah 2 6.6
1934 July 18 Santa Cruz Islands 8.1
1934 December 31 Baja California, Mexico 7.1
1935 April 21 Shinchiku, Taiwan 3,276 7.1
1935 June 1 Quetta, Pakistan 25,000 7.6
1935 August 7 Pasto, Colombia 7.5
1935 October 18 Helena, Montana 4 6.2
1935 December 28 Sumatra 8.1
1937 April 16 Tonga 8.1
1937 August 20 Luzon, Philippines 7.5
1938 February 1 Java 8.6
1938 November 10 Alaska 8.3
1939 January 24 Chillán, Chile 28,000 8.3
1939 April 30 Solomon Islands 8.1
1939 April 30 Celebes, Indonesia 8.6
1939 December 27 Erzincan, Turkey 32,700 8.0
1940 May 18 El Centro, California 9 7.1
1940 May 24 Peru (central) 8.4
1940 July 14 Rat Islands, Alaska 7.9
1940 November 10 Bucharest, Romania 1,000 7.4
1941 June 26 Burma 8.7
1941 June 27 Australia (central) 6.8
1941 November 25 Portugal 8.4
1942 May 14 Ecuador 8.3
1942 August 6 Guatemala 8.3
1942 August 24 Nazca, Peru 8.6
1943 February 22 Guerrero, Mexico 7.5
1943 April 6 Illapel, Chile 11 8.3
1943 May 25 Philippines 8.1
1943 July 23 Java 8.1
1943 September 6 Macquarie Islands 7.8
1943 September 10 Tottori, Japan 1,190 7.4
1943 November 26 Turkey (central) 4,000 7.6
(Continued )
934 Appendix

(Continued)
Year Date Region Deaths Magnitude

1944 January 15 San Juan, Argentina 5,000 7.8

1944 December 7 Tonankai, Japan 1,000 8.3
1945 January 13 Aichi Prefecture, Japan 1,960 7.1
1945 November 28 Pakistan 4,100 8.3
1946 April 1 Aleutian Islands, Alaska 173 7.5
1946 August 4 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 8.1
1946 November 10 Ancash, Peru 1,400 7.4
1946 December 21 Nankaido, Japan 1,360 8.4
1948 January 24 Panay, Philippines 20 8.3
1948 June 28 Fukui Prefecture, Japan 5,400 7.3
1948 October 6 Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan 19,800 7.5
1948 December 4 Islas Marias, Mexico 7.2
1949 April 13 Olympia, Washington 8 7.3
1949 July 10 Tadzhikstan 8.0
1949 August 5 Pelileo, Ecuador 6,000 6.8
1949 August 22 Queen Charlotte Island, Alaska 8.1
1950 February 28 Hokkaido Island, Japan 7.9
1950 August 15 Assam, India 1,530 8.7
1950 December 9 Andes, Argentina 8.3
1950 December 12 Vanuatu 8.1
1951 August 21 Hawaii 6.8
1952 March 4 Tokachi-Oki (Hokkaido), Japan 31 8.3
1952 July 21 Kern County, California 12 7.7
1952 November 4 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia 8.4
1953 March 18 Turkey (northwestern) 1,100 7.5
1953 November 25 Honshu Island, Japan 8.0
1954 September 9 El-Asnam, Algeria 1,240 6.8
1954 December 16 Fairview Peak, Nevada 7.1
1954 December 21 Eureka, California 1 6.6
1955 February 18 Quetta, Pakistan 6.8
1955 April 1 Lanao, Philippines 400 7.6
1956 February 9 Baja California (San Miguel), Mexico 6.8
1956 June 10 Kabul, Afghanistan 2,000 7.7
1956 July 9 Santorin, Greece 7.7
1957 March 9 Aleutian Islands, Alaska 8.3
1957 July 2 Abegharm, Iran 2,500 7.4
1957 July 28 Guerrero, Mexico 54 7.5
1957 December 4 East Altai, Mongolia 20 8.3
1957 December 13 Kangavar, Iran 2,000 7.1
1958 January 19 Colombia–Ecuador 7.8
1958 April 7 Alaska (central) 7.3
1958 July 9 Lituya Bay, Alaska 5 7.9
1958 November 6 Kuril Islands 8.7
1959 May 4 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia 8.2
1959 August 17 Hebgen Lake, Montana 28 7.7
1960 February 29 Agadir, Morocco 12,000 5.7
1960 May 22 Valdivia, Chile 2,230 8.3
1961 August 31 Peru–Brazil 7.8
1962 September 1 Quazin, Iran 12,230 7.3
1963 July 26 Skopje, Yugoslavia 1,070 6.0
1963 October 13 Kuril Islands 8.2
Appendix 935

(Continued)
Year Date Region Deaths Magnitude

1964 March 28 Prince William Sound, Alaska 131 8.4

1964 June 16 Niigata, Japan 26 7.5
1965 February 4 Rat Island, Alaska 7.9
1965 March 28 La Ligua, Chile 7.5
1965 March 30 Amchitka Island, Alaska 7.5
1965 April 29 Puget Sound, Washington 6 6.6
1965 May 3 San Salvador, El Salvador 120 6.2
1966 March 12 Taiwan (northeastern) 7.5
1967 July 29 Caracas, Venezuela 266 6.5
1967 December 11 Koyna Dam, India 177 6.4
1968 January 14 Sicily, Italy 740 6.1
1968 May 16 Tokachi–Oki, Japan 48 8.6
1968 August 1 Casiguran, Philippines 7.7
1968 August 31 Khorasan, Iran 12,100 7.3
1968 October 14 Meckering, Australia 7.2
1969 July 26 Guangdong Province, China 3,000 5.9
1970 March 28 Gediz, Turkey 1,100 7.3
1970 April 7 Luzon, Philippines 7.7
1970 May 31 Chimbote, Peru 67,000 7.8
1971 January 10 Iran (western) 8.0
1971 February 9 San Fernando, California 65 6.6
1971 July 9 Illapel, Chile 7.7
1971 July 14 Solomon Islands 8.1
1972 January 25 Taiwan 7.5
1972 April 10 Ghir, Iran 5,400 7.1
1972 July 30 Sitka, Alaska 7.6
1972 December 23 Managua, Nicaragua 5,000 6.2
1973 January 30 Michoacán, Mexico 56 7.5
1973 April 26 Hawaii 6.2
1973 June 17 Hokkaido, Japan 7.7
1973 August 28 Oaxaca, Mexico 530 7.2
1974 May 11 Yunnan Province, China 20,000 7.1
1974 October 3 Lima, Peru 78 7.6
1974 December 28 Kashmir, Pakistan 5,300 6.2
1975 February 11 Guatemala 7.5
1975 February 14 Haicheng, Liaoning Province, China 1,300 7.4
1975 June 30 Yellowstone, Wyoming 6.4
1975 July 11 Solomon Islands 7.9
1975 September 6 Lice, Turkey 2,370 6.7
1975 November 29 Hawaii 2 7.2
1976 January 14 Kermadec Islands 8.0
1976 February 4 Guatemala City, Guatemala 23,000 7.5
1976 May 6 Friuli (Gemona), Italy 965 6.5
1976 June 26 New Guinea (west) 6,000 7.1
1976 July 14 Bali, Indonesia 560 6.5
1976 July 27 Tangshan, Hebei Province, China 243,000 7.8
1976 August 17 Moro Gulf, Philippines 6,500 8.0
1976 November 24 Turkey (eastern) 5,000 7.3
1977 March 4 Bucharest, Romania 1,570 7.2
1977 August 19 Sumbawa, Indonesia 100 8.0
(Continued )
936 Appendix

(Continued)
Year Date Region Deaths Magnitude

1977 November 23 San Juan, Argentina 70 7.4

1978 June 12 Sendai, Japan 27 7.5
1978 September 16 Tabas, Iran 15,000 7.7
1978 November 29 Oaxaca, Mexico 8 7.8
1979 April 15 Montenegro, Yugoslavia 56 7.0
1979 September 12 New Guinea (west) 100 8.1
1979 October 15 Imperial Valley, California 6.7
1979 December 12 Colombia (southwestern) 600 7.7
1980 October 10 El-Ansam, Algeria 3,500 7.7
1980 November 8 Eureka, California 7.4
1980 November 23 Italy (southern) 3,100 7.2
1981 June 11 Iran (southeastern) 3,000 6.9
1981 July 28 Iran (southeastern) 2,500 7.3
1982 June 7 Guerrero, Mexico 9 7.2
1982 June 19 El Salvador 16 7.0
1982 December 13 Yemen (north) 2,800 6.0
1982 December 16 Afghanistan 510 6.8
1983 March 31 Popayán, Colombia 350 5.5
1983 May 2 Coalinga, California 1 6.5
1983 May 25 Honshu Island, Japan 106 7.7
1983 October 28 Idaho 2 6.9
1983 October 30 Turkey (eastern) 2,000 6.9
1985 March 3 Valparaíso, Chile 147 7.8
1985 September 19 Michoacán, Mexico 9,500 8.1
1986 January 31 Painesville, Ohio 0 5.0
1986 July 8 North Palm Springs, California 0 5.9
1986 October 10 San Salvador, El Salvador 1,000 5.4
1987 March 6 Napo Province, Ecuador 1,000 6.9
1987 October 1 Whittier Narrows, California 3 5.3
1988 August 20 Nepal–India 1,450 6.6
1988 November 6 Yunnan Province, China 730 7.6
1988 November 25 Quebec, Canada 0 6.0
1988 December 7 Spitak–Leninakan, Armenia 25,000 7.0
1989 May 23 Macquaire Islands 0 8.2
1989 October 17 Loma Prieta, California 67 7.1
1989 December 28 Newcastle, Australia 13 5.6
1990 June 20 Manjil, Iran 14,000 7.7
1990 July 16 Luzon, Philippines 1,700 7.8
1990 June 20 Iran (northern) 40,000 7.7
1991 April 22 Costa Rica, Limon 53 7.5
1991 October 20 Uttarkashi, India 768 6.6
1992 March 13 Erzincan, Turkey 800 6.8
1992 April 25 Petrolia, California 0 7.1
1992 June 28 Landers, California 1 7.5
1993 August 8 Mariana Islands, Guam 0 8.1
1993 July 12 Hokkaido–Nansei–Oki, Japan 231 7.8
1993 September 20 Klamath Falls, Oregon 2 5.7
1994 January 17 Northridge, California 57 6.6
1995 January 17 Hyogo-Ken Nambu (Kobe), Japan 5,090 6.8
Appendix 937

(Continued)
Year Date Region Deaths Magnitude

1995 October 9 Colima (Manzanillo), Mexico 40 7.6

1997 May 10 Qaen, Iran 2,400 7.1
1999 August 17 Kocaeli, Turkey 17,000 7.8
1999 September 21 Chi-Chi, Taiwan 2400 7.6
1999 October 16 Hector Mine, California 0 7.1
1999 November 12 Duzce, Turkey 800 7.2
2000 June 4 Sumatra, Indonesia 120 7.9
2001 January 13 El Salvador 700 7.6
2001 January 26 Ahmedabad, India 18,600 7.9
2001 June 23 Arequipa, Peru 102 8.4
2002 January 21 Colima (Tecomán), Mexico 21 7.6
2002 November 3 Denali, Alaska 0 7.9
2003 December 26 Bam, Iran 26,500 6.6
2004 December 26 Indonesia, Sumatra 187,000 9.1
2005 October 8 Kashmir, Indo-Pakistan 86,000 7.6
2006 November 15 Kuril Islands 0 8.3
2007 April 2 Solomon Islands 40 8.1
2007 August 15 Pisco, Peru 540 8.0
2007 September 12 Sumatra, Indonesia 25 8.4
2008 May 12 Wenchuan, China 69,170 8.0

Source: Gere, J. M. and Shah, H. C., Terra Non Firma, W. H. Freeman and Co., New York, 1984; Bolt, B. A., Earthquakes,
5th Edition, W. H. Freeman and Co., New York, 2004; Eiby, G. A., Earthquakes, Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.,
New York, 1980; Lomnitz, C., Global Tectonics and Earthquake Risk, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1974; Lay, T. and
Wallace, T. C., Modern Global Seismology, Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1995; Earthquake Engineering
Research Institute.