Strongest magnitude | 8.6 Mw Indonesia |
---|---|
Deadliest | 6.4 Mw Iran 304 deaths |
Total fatalities | 826 |
Number by magnitude | |
9.0+ | 0 |
8.0–8.9 | 2 |
7.0–7.9 | 15 |
6.0–6.9 | 129 |
5.0–5.9 | 1,412 |
This is a list of earthquakes in 2012. Only earthquakes of magnitude 6 or above are included, unless they result in damage or casualties, or are notable for some other reason. All dates are listed according to UTC time. Two huge 8 magnitude earthquakes (8.6 and 8.2) struck Indonesia in April, but caused little damage, and no tsunami. The deadliest quake occurred in Iran, while other destructive tremors were observed in Philippines, China, or Afghanistan.
Magnitude Ranging Between | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8−9.9 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
7−7.9 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 21 | 19 | 15 |
6−6.9 | 140 | 141 | 140 | 142 | 178 | 168 | 144 | 151 | 204 | 129 |
5−5.9 | 1203 | 1515 | 1693 | 1712 | 2074 | 1768 | 1896 | 1963 | 2271 | 1412 |
Total | 1358 | 1672 | 1844 | 1865 | 2270 | 1948 | 2057 | 2136 | 2495 | 1558 |
Note that an increase in detected earthquake numbers does not necessarily represent an increase in earthquakes per se. Population increase, habitation spread, and advances in earthquake detection technology all contribute to higher earthquake numbers being recorded over time. USGS's Website has more information.
For exact dates and live earthquakes please visit USGS's Global Earthquake Search Page and Real-time Earthquake Map or EMSC's Real-time Seismicity.
Rank | Death toll | Magnitude | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 306 | 6.4 | Iran, East Azerbaijan | VIII (Severe) | 9.9 | August 11 |
2 | 139 | 7.4 | Guatemala, Retalhuleu offshore | VII (Very strong) | 41.6 | November 7 |
3 | 113 | 6.7 | Philippines, Central Visayas | VII (Very strong) | 20.0 | February 6 |
4 | 81 | 5.6 | China, Yunnan | VI (Strong) | 9.9 | September 7 |
5 | 75 | 5.7 | Afghanistan, Baghlan | V (Moderate) | 15.0 | June 11 |
6 | 38 | 6.8 | Myanmar, Sagaing | VII (Very strong) | 9.8 | November 11 |
7 | 27 | 5.8 | Italy, Emilia-Romagna | VIII (Severe) | 9.0 | May 29 |
8 | 10 | 8.6 | Indonesia, Aceh offshore | VII (Very strong) | 22.9 | April 11 |
Rank | Magnitude | Death toll | Location | Intensity | Depth (km) | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 8.6 | 10 | Indonesia, Aceh offshore | VII (Very Strong) | 20.0 | April 11 |
2 | 8.2 | 0 | Indonesia, Aceh offshore | V (Moderate) | 25.1 | April 11 |
3 | 7.8 | 1 [1] | Canada, British Columbia | V (Moderate) | 14.0 | October 28 |
4 | 7.7 | 0 | Russia, Sea of Okhotsk | V (Moderate) | 625.9 | August 14 |
5 | 7.6 | 1 | Philippines, Eastern Visayas offshore | VII (Very Strong) | 28.0 | August 31 |
5 | 7.6 | 2 | Costa Rica, Guanacaste | X (Extreme) | 35.0 | September 5 |
7 | 7.4 | 2 | Mexico, Oaxaca | VIII (Severe) | 20.0 | March 20 |
7 | 7.4 | 139 | Guatemala, Retalhuleu | VII (Very Strong) | 24.0 | November 7 |
9 | 7.3 | 0 | El Salvador, Usulután offshore | II (Weak) | 28.0 | August 27 |
9 | 7.3 | 0 | Colombia, Huila | V (Moderate) | 170.0 | September 30 |
9 | 7.3 | 3 | Japan, Iwate offshore | V (Moderate) | 31.0 | December 07 |
12 | 7.2 | 0 | Indonesia, Aceh offshore | IV (Light) | 19.0 | January 11 |
13 | 7.1 | 0 | Vanuatu, Shefa | V (Moderate) | 23.0 | February 2 |
13 | 7.1 | 1 | Chile, Maule | VIII (Severe) | 40.7 | March 25 |
13 | 7.1 | 0 | Indonesia, Banda Sea offshore | V (Moderate) | 155.0 | December 10 |
16 | 7.0 | 0 | Mexico, Baja California offshore | VI (Strong) | 13.0 | April 12 |
Strongest magnitude | 7.2 Mw Indonesia |
---|---|
Deadliest | 5.5 Mw Dominican Republic 1 death |
Total fatalities | 1 |
Number by magnitude | |
9.0+ | 0 |
8.0–8.9 | 0 |
7.0–7.9 | 1 |
6.0–6.9 | 9 |
5.0–5.9 | 163 |
Date | Country and location | Mw | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dead | Injured | ||||||
1 [2] | Japan, Izu Islands offshore | 6.8 | 365.3 | V | - | - | - |
5 [3] | Dominican Republic, Peravia, 5 km (3.1 mi) north northwest of Baní | 5.5 | 39.8 | V | One person died of a heart attack [4] and minor damage in Santo Domingo. [5] | 1 | - |
9 [6] | Solomon Islands, Temotu offshore, 70 km (43 mi) west of Lata | 6.4 | 28.0 | VI | - | - | - |
10 [7] | Indonesia, Aceh offshore, 352 km (219 mi) west of Sinabang | 7.2 | 19.0 | IV | Foreshock of the 2012 Indian Ocean earthquakes. | - | - |
15 [8] | Antarctica, South Shetland Islands offshore | 6.6 | 8.0 | - | - | - | - |
19 [9] | Iran, Razavi Khorasan, 9 km (5.6 mi) north northeasst of Nishapur | 5.1 | 8.3 | VI | At least 238 people injured and minor damage in Razavi Khorasan province. | - | 238 |
21 [10] | Mexico, Chiapas offshore, 46 km (29 mi) southwest of El Arenal | 6.2 | 45.0 | VI | - | - | - |
23 [11] | Chile, Biobío, 24 km (15 mi) north northwest of Tomé | 6.1 | 20.0 | VI | - | - | - |
27 [12] | Japan, Yamanashi, 9 km (5.6 mi) east northeast of Fujiyoshida | 5.2 | 36.3 | IV | One person injured in Tokyo. [13] | - | 1 |
30 [14] | Peru, Ica, 6 km (3.7 mi) east southeast of Pampa de Tate | 6.4 | 43.0 | VI | At least 119 people injured and several buildings damaged in Ica. [15] | - | 119 |
Strongest magnitude | 7.1 Mw Vanuatu |
---|---|
Deadliest | 6.7 Mw Philippines 113 deaths |
Total fatalities | 113 |
Number by magnitude | |
7.0–7.9 | 1 |
6.0–6.9 | 11 |
5.0–5.9 | 174 |
Date | Country and location | Mw | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dead | Injured | ||||||
1 [16] | Indonesia, Bengkulu offshore, 15 km (9.3 mi) north northwest of Bengkulu | 5.4 | 80.3 | V | The roofs of some houses collapsed in Bengkulu. [17] | - | - |
2 [18] | Vanuatu, Shefa offshore, 125 km (78 mi) west of Port Vila | 7.1 | 23.0 | V | - | - | - |
Strongest magnitude | 7.4 Mw, Mexico |
---|---|
Total fatalities | 4 |
Number by magnitude | |
7.0–7.9 | 2 |
6.0–6.9 | 11 |
5.0–5.9 | 116 |
Strongest magnitude | 8.6 Mw, Indonesia |
---|---|
Total fatalities | 11 |
Number by magnitude | |
8.0–8.9 | 2 |
7.0–7.9 | 0 |
6.0–6.9 | 17 |
5.0–5.9 | 165 |
Strongest magnitude | 6.7 Mw, Argentina |
---|---|
Total fatalities | 29 |
Number by magnitude | |
6.0–6.9 | 9 |
5.0–5.9 | 99 |
Strongest magnitude | 6.4 Mw, Panama Japan |
---|---|
Total fatalities | 79 |
Number by magnitude | |
6.0–6.9 | 10 |
5.0–5.9 | 88 |
Strongest magnitude | 6.7 Mw Mauritius |
---|---|
Total fatalities | 2 |
Number by magnitude | |
7.0–7.9 | 0 |
6.0–6.9 | 11 |
5.0–5.9 | 98 |
Strongest magnitude | 7.7 Mw, Russia |
---|---|
Total fatalities | 313 |
Number by magnitude | |
7.0–7.9 | 3 |
6.0–6.9 | 10 |
5.0–5.9 | 112 |
Strongest magnitude | 7.6 Mw, Costa Rica |
---|---|
Total fatalities | 83 |
Number by magnitude | |
7.0–7.9 | 2 |
6.0–6.9 | 7 |
5.0–5.9 | 111 |
Strongest magnitude | 7.8 Mw, Canada |
---|---|
Total fatalities | 2 |
Number by magnitude | |
7.0–7.9 | 1 |
6.0–6.9 | 13 |
5.0–5.9 | 103 |
Strongest magnitude | 7.4 Mw, Guatemala |
---|---|
Total fatalities | 177 |
Number by magnitude | |
7.0–7.9 | 1 |
6.0–6.9 | 14 |
5.0–5.9 | 85 |
Strongest magnitude | 7.3 Mw, Japan |
---|---|
Total fatalities | 12 |
Number by magnitude | |
7.0–7.9 | 2 |
6.0–6.9 | 9 |
5.0–5.9 | 98 |
The 2006 Kamchatka earthquake occurred on April 21, 2006 at 12:25 PM local time. This shock had a moment magnitude of 7.6 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). The hypocenter was located near the coast of Koryak Autonomous Okrug at an estimated depth of 22 km, as reported by the International Seismological Centre. This event caused damage in three villages and was followed by a number of large aftershocks. Two M6.6 earthquakes struck on April 29 at 16:58 UTC and again on May 22 at 11:12 UTC. These earthquakes caused no deaths; however, 40 people were reported injured.
The September 2007 Sumatra earthquakes were a series of megathrust earthquakes that struck the Sunda Trench off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, with three of magnitude 7 or greater. A series of tsunami bulletins was issued for the area. The most powerful of the series had a magnitude of 8.5, which makes it in the top 20 of the largest earthquakes ever recorded on a seismograph.
The 2002 Burica earthquake occurred on July 30 at 19:16:48 local time off the coast of Panama. It had a magnitude of Mw 6.5. The epicenter was located off the southeastern coast of Burica Peninsula, close to the Costa Rica–Panama border. Some homes collapsed and at least 11 people were reported injured, both in Panama and in Costa Rica. The strongest intensity reached VII in Puerto Armuelles, Panama. It was felt with III (Weak) to IV (Light) around San Jose, Costa Rica. Shops in the center of Puerto Armuelles suffered from loss such as fallen merchandise and broken window glass. This earthquake occurred along the Panama Fracture Zone.
A potent magnitude 6.6 Mw intraplate aftershock occurred at 17:16 JST (08:16 UTC) on 11 April, in the Hamadōri region of Fukushima, Japan. With a shallow focus of 13 km (8.1 mi), the earthquake was centred inland about 36 km (22 mi) west of Iwaki, causing widespread strong to locally severe shaking. It was one of many aftershocks to follow the 11 March Tōhoku earthquake, and the strongest to have its epicentre located inland.
The 2012 Indian Ocean earthquakes were magnitude 8.6 and 8.2 Mw undersea earthquakes that struck near the Indonesian province of Aceh on 11 April at 15:38 local time. Initially, authorities feared that the initial earthquake would cause a tsunami and warnings were issued across the Indian Ocean; however, these warnings were subsequently cancelled. These were unusually strong intraplate earthquakes and the largest strike-slip earthquake ever recorded.
The 2016 Sumatra earthquake was a 7.8 magnitude earthquake which struck on 2 March 2016 in the Indian Ocean, approximately 800 kilometers southwest of Sumatra in Indonesia. Tsunami warnings were issued for Indonesia and Australia, but were withdrawn two hours later. There were no deaths directly related to the earthquake.
An earthquake, measuring 6.2 ± 0.016 on the moment magnitude scale, hit Central Italy on 24 August 2016 at 03:36:32 CEST. Its epicentre was close to Accumoli, with its hypocentre at a depth of 4 ± 1 km, approximately 75 km (47 mi) southeast of Perugia and 45 km (28 mi) north of L'Aquila, in an area near the borders of the Umbria, Lazio, Abruzzo and Marche regions. As of 15 November 2016, 299 people had been killed.