List of earthquakes in 1916

Earthquakes in 1916

class=notpageimage| Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 1916 4.0–5.9 magnitude 6.0–6.9 magnitude 7.0–7.9 magnitude 8.0+ magnitude
Strongest magnitude	New Guinea, east of New Britain January 1 (Magnitude 7.9)
Deadliest	Taiwan, Changhua County August 28 (Magnitude 7.2) 180 deaths
Total fatalities	181
Number by magnitude
9.0+	0
←  1915 1917  →

This is a list of earthquakes in 1916. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. Events which occurred in remote areas will be excluded from the list as they wouldn't have generated significant media interest. All dates are listed according to UTC time. Remarkably despite the large number of 7.0+ events the death toll for the year was only 181. Japan displayed many events and there were clusters of quakes in parts of Latin America.

Overall

By death toll

Rank	Death toll	Magnitude	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	180	7.2	Taiwan, Changhua County	VIII (Severe)	5.0	August 28

• Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	MMI	Depth (km)	Date
1	7.9	0	New Guinea, east of New Britain	( )	35.0	January 1
2	7.7	0	Dutch East Indies, Papua (province)	( )	35.0	January 13
= 3	7.4	0	Japan, southeast of the Ryukyu Islands	( )	0.0	February 1
= 3	7.4	0	United States, Fox Islands (Alaska)	( )	170.0	April 18
= 3	7.4	0	Argentina, Santiago del Estero Province	( )	600.0	June 21
4	7.3	0	Russia, east of the Kuril Islands	( )	15.0	October 31
= 5	7.2	0	Nicaragua, off the west coast	( )	15.0	February 27
= 5	7.2	0	southern Indian Ocean	( )	0.0	April 7
= 5	7.2	0	Nicaragua, Rio San Juan Department	( )	0.0	April 24
= 5	7.2	180	Taiwan, Changhua County	VIII (Severe)	5.0	August 28
= 6	7.1	0	Dutch East Indies, Papua (province)	( )	25.0	January 13
= 6	7.1	0	Costa Rica, Gulf of Nicoya	IX (Violent)	0.0	April 26
= 6	7.1	0	Fiji	( )	600.0	July 8
= 6	7.1	0	New Guinea, East Sepik Province	( )	0.0	August 3
= 6	7.1	0	Dutch East Indies, south of Java	( )	100.0	September 11
= 6	7.1	0	Japan, off southeast coast of Honshu	( )	35.0	September 15
= 6	7.1	0	Peru, Ayacucho Region	( )	0.0	October 3
= 7	7.0	0	Ottoman Empire Sivas Province	( )	15.0	January 24
= 7	7.0	0	United States, Rat Islands, Alaska	( )	15.0	February 6
= 7	7.0	0	Japan, Izu Islands	( )	35.0	April 21
= 7	7.0	0	Mona Passage	IX (Violent)	80.0	April 24
= 7	7.0	0	Mexico, Veracruz	( )	150.0	June 2
= 7	7.0	0	Dutch East Indies, northern Sumatra	( )	100.0	July 27
= 7	7.0	0	Bolivia, Potosi Department	( )	180.0	August 25
= 7	7.0	0	Nepal, Mahakali Zone	( )	20.0	August 28

• Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January

January

Strongest magnitude	7.9 Mw New Guinea
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	4
6.0–6.9	2

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1 [1] [2] [3]	New Guinea, east of New Britain	7.9	35.0		Some homes were damaged or destroyed. A tsunami was observed.
13 [4]	Dutch East Indies, Papua (province)	7.1	25.0
13 [5]	Dutch East Indies, Papua (province)	7.7	35.0
24 [6]	Turkey, Sivas Province	7.0	15.0
25 [7]	Japan, northeast of Hokkaido	6.9	250.0
26 [8]	Romania, Alba County	6.5	35.0

February

February

Strongest magnitude	7.4 Mw Japan
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	3
6.0–6.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
1 [9]	Japan, southeast of the Ryukyu Islands	7.4	0.0		Depth unknown.
6 [10]	Russia, Kuril Islands	6.7	35.0
6 [11]	United States, Rat Islands, Alaska	7.0	15.0
27 [12]	Nicaragua, off the west coast	7.2	15.0
21 [13]	United States, Skyland, North Carolina	5.5	0.0		Depth unknown

March

March

Strongest magnitude	6.6 Mw Japan
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	2

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
18 [14]	Japan, southeast of Hokkaido	6.6	35.0
25 [15]	Japan, southwest Ryukyu Islands	6.5	0.0		Depth unknown.

April

April

Strongest magnitude	7.4 Mw United States
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	6
6.0–6.9	2

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
7 [16]	southern Indian Ocean	7.2	0.0		Depth unknown.
14 [17]	Japan, Izu Islands	6.6	35.0		Foreshock.
18 [18]	United States, Fox Islands (Alaska)	7.4	170.0
21 [19]	Japan, Izu Islands	7.0	35.0
21 [20]	Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province	6.2	220.0
24 [21] [22]	Mona Passage	7.0	80.0	IX	Some damage was caused.
24 [23]	Nicaragua, Rio San Juan Department	7.2	0.0		Depth unknown.
26 [24] [25]	Costa Rica, Gulf of Nicoya	7.1	0.0	IX	Damage costs of $25,000 (1916 rate) were reported. Depth unknown.

June

June

Strongest magnitude	7.4 Mw Argentina
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	0

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
2 [26]	Mexico, Veracruz	7.0	150.0
21 [27]	Argentina, Santiago del Estero Province	7.4	600.0

July

July

Strongest magnitude	7.1 Mw Fiji
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	1
5.0–5.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
3 [28]	Italy, Stromboli	5.1	0.0	VII	An eruption at Stromboli was in progress at the time. Some homes were damaged. Depth unknown.
8 [29]	Fiji	7.1	600.0
16 [30]	Japan, off the east coast of Honshu	6.8	35.0
27 [31]	Dutch East Indies, northern Sumatra	7.0	100.0

August

August

Strongest magnitude	7.2 Mw Taiwan
Deadliest	7.2 Mw Taiwan 180 deaths
Total fatalities	180
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	4
6.0–6.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
3 [32]	New Guinea, East Sepik Province	7.1	0.0		Depth unknown.
25 [33]	Bolivia, Potosi Department	7.0	180.0
27 [34]	Japan, off the east coast of Honshu	6.8	35.0
28 [35]	Nepal, Mahakali Zone	7.0	20.0
28 [36] [37]	Taiwan, Changhua County	7.2	5.0	VIII	This was part of a series of earthquakes which struck Taiwan from August 1916 to January 1917. The death toll was put at 180. 614 homes were destroyed.	180

September

September

Strongest magnitude	7.1 Mw 2 events
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	0

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
11 [38] [39]	Dutch East Indies, south of Java	7.1	100.0		340 homes were destroyed.
15 [40]	Japan, off the southeast coast of Honshu	7.1	35.0

October

October

Strongest magnitude	7.3 Mw Russia
Total fatalities	0
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	2
6.0–6.9	1
5.0–5.9	1

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
3 [41]	Peru, Ayacucho Region	7.1	0.0		Depth unknown.
18 [42]	Alabama, USA, Irondale	5.1	0.0		Largest Earthquake in Alabama history. Several chimneys damaged with the most severe damage in Irondale. Several wells in Pell City went dry as a result of the Earthquake. Depth unknown.	0	0?
28 [43]	Russia, Sea of Okhotsk	6.5	100.0
31 [44]	Russia, east of the Kuril Islands	7.3	15.0

November

November

Strongest magnitude	6.6 Mw 2 events
Deadliest	6.0 Mw Taiwan 1 death
Total fatalities	1
Number by magnitude
8.0–8.9	0
7.0–7.9	0
6.0–6.9	3

Date	Country and location	Mw	Depth (km)	MMI	Notes	Casualties
						Dead	Injured
14 [45]	Taiwan, Nantou County	6.0	0.0		Part of the ongoing sequence in Taiwan. 1 person was killed and another 20 were injured. 97 homes were destroyed. Depth unknown.	1	20
24 [46]	Japan, off the east coast of Honshu	6.6	35.0
30 [47]	Dominican Republic, Sanchez Ramirez Province	6.6	0.0		Depth unknown.

References

1. "M 7.9 – New Britain region, Papua New Guinea". United States Geological Survey. January 1, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
2. "Significant Earthquake: PAPUA NEW GUINEA: SOLOMON ISLANDS". National Geophysical Data Center. January 1, 1916. Archived from the original on January 19, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
3. "Tsunami Event: BISMARCK SEA". National Geophysical Data Center. January 1, 1916. Archived from the original on January 19, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
4. "M 7.1 – Papua, Indonesia". United States Geological Survey. January 13, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
5. "M 7.7 – Papua, Indonesia". United States Geological Survey. January 13, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
6. "M 7.0 – central Turkey". United States Geological Survey. January 24, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
7. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. January 25, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
8. "On-Line Bulletin". International Seismological Centre. January 26, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
9. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. February 1, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
10. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. February 6, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
11. "M 7.0 – Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska". United States Geological Survey. February 6, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
12. "M 7.2 – near the coast of Nicaragua". United States Geological Survey. February 27, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
13. "NC DEQ: 100th Anniversary of the Largest Earthquake Centered in North Carolina". deq.nc.gov. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
14. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. March 18, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
15. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. March 25, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
16. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. April 7, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
17. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. April 14, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
18. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. April 18, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
19. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. April 21, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
20. "On-Line Bulletin". International Seismological Centre. April 21, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
21. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. April 24, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
22. "Significant Earthquake: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: SANTO DOMINIGO". National Geophysical Data Center. April 24, 1916. Archived from the original on January 24, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
23. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. April 24, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
24. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. April 26, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
25. "Significant Earthquake: PANAMA: ALMIRANTE, BOCAS DEL TORO". National Geophysical Data Center. April 26, 1916. Archived from the original on January 24, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
26. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. June 2, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
27. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. June 21, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
28. "Significant Earthquake: ITALY: STROMBOLI ISLAND". National Geophysical Data Center. July 3, 1916. Archived from the original on May 11, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
29. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. July 8, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
30. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. July 16, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
31. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. July 27, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
32. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. August 3, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
33. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. August 25, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
34. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. August 27, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
35. "M 7.0 – Nepal-India border region". United States Geological Survey. August 28, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
36. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. August 28, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
37. "Significant Earthquake: TAIWAN". National Geophysical Data Center. August 28, 1916. Archived from the original on January 25, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
38. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. September 11, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
39. "Significant Earthquake: INDONESIA". National Geophysical Data Center. September 11, 1916. Archived from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
40. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. September 15, 1916. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
41. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. October 3, 1916. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
42. "Historic Earthquakes". earthquake.usgs.gov. Archived from the original on 2013-03-12. Retrieved 2025-07-31.
43. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. October 28, 1916. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
44. "M 7.3 – east of the Kuril Islands". United States Geological Survey. October 31, 1916. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
45. "Significant Earthquake: TAIWAN". National Geophysical Data Center. November 14, 1916. Archived from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
46. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. November 24, 1916. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
47. "Centennial Earthquake Catalog". United States Geological Survey. November 30, 1916. Retrieved December 5, 2015.