Earthquakes in 2009

Earthquakes in 2009

Earthquakes in 2009 (Earth) Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 2009 5.0-5.9 in green, 6.0-6.9 in yellow, 7.0–7.9 in orange, 8.0+ in red
Strongest Earthquake	Samoa Earthquake 8.1 Mw
Total fatalities	1853
8.0 Magnitude+	1
7.0 Magnitude+	16
6.0–6.9 Magnitude	144
5.0–5.9 Magnitude	1896
← 2008 Earthquakes 2010 →

Earthquakes in 2009 resulted in 1853 fatalities. The 2nd Sumatra earthquake caused an estimated 1117 deaths to that island. Also notable, the 2009 Samoa earthquake registered an 8.1 on the moment magnitude scale, the most powerful earthquake in 2009. The tsunami associated with the Samoa earthquake caused tsunami advisories and warning across the most Ocean rim, also known as the Ring of Fire.^[1]

Compared to other years

Number of Earthquakes Worldwide for 2000–2011

Magnitude Ranging Between	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
8 - 9.9	1	1	0	1	2	1	2	4	0	1	1	1
7 - 7.9	14	15	13	14	14	10	9	14	12	16	21	19
6 - 6.9	146	121	127	140	141	140	142	178	168	144	151	185
5 - 5.9	1344	1224	1201	1203	1515	1693	1712	2074	1768	1896	1963	2272
Total	1505	1361	1341	1358	1672	1844	1865	2270	1948	2057	2136	2477

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 Earthquake Myths has more information.

For exact dates and live earthquakes please visit USGS and EMSC web sites

Overall

By death toll

Rank	Death toll	Magnitude	Location	Date
70001000000000000001	70031117000000000001,117[2]	70007600000000000007.6	2nd Sumatra	02014-09-30September 30
70002000000000000002	7002297000000000000297[3]	70006300000000000006.3	L'Aquila	02014-04-06April 6
70003000000000000003	7002192000000000000192[2]	70008100000000000008.1	Samoa	02014-09-29September 29
70004000000000000004	700198000000000000098[4]	70006100000000000006.1	Costa Rica	02014-01-08January 8
70005000000000000005	700181000000000000081[2]	70007000000000000007.0	West Java	02014-09-02September 2
70006000000000000006	700122000000000000022	70005500000000000005.5	1st Afghanistan	02014-04-16April 16
70007000000000000007	700111000000000000011	70006100000000000006.1	Bhutan	02014-09-21September 21

• Note: At least 10 dead

By magnitude

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	Date
70001000000000000001	70008100000000000008.1	7002192000000000000192[2]	Samoa	02014-09-29September 29
70002000000000000002	70007800000000000007.8	50000000000000000000	Vanuatu	02014-10-07October 7
70002000000000000002	70007800000000000007.8	50000000000000000000	New Zealand	02014-07-15July 15
70004000000000000004	70007700000000000007.7	70005000000000000005[2]	Papua, Indonesia	02014-01-03January 3
70004000000000000004	70007700000000000007.7	50000000000000000000	Vanuatu	02014-10-07October 7
70006000000000000006	70007600000000000007.6	50000000000000000000	Tonga	02014-03-19March 19
70006000000000000006	70007600000000000007.6	70031117000000000001,117[2]	Sumatra	02014-09-30September 30
70008000000000000008	70007500000000000007.5	50000000000000000000	Andaman Islands	02014-08-10August 10
70009000000000000009	70007400000000000007.4	50000000000000000000	Papua, Indonesia	02014-01-03January 3
70009000000000000009	70007400000000000007.4	50000000000000000000	Kuril Islands	02014-01-15January 15
700111000000000000011	70007300000000000007.3	70007000000000000007	Honduras	02014-05-28May 28
700111000000000000011	70007300000000000007.3	50000000000000000000	Vanuatu	02014-10-07October 7
700111000000000000011	70007300000000000007.3	50000000000000000000	Fiji	02014-11-09November 9
700114000000000000014	70007200000000000007.2	50000000000000000000	Talaud Islands	02014-02-11February 11
700115000000000000015	70007100000000000007.1	50000000000000000000	Izu Islands	02014-08-09August 9
700116000000000000016	70007000000000000007.0	50000000000000000000	Kermadec Islands	02014-02-18February 18
700116000000000000016	70007000000000000007.0	700181000000000000081[2]	Java, Indonesia	02014-09-02September 2

• Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

By month

January

January

By magnitude
7.0 Magnitude+	3
6.0–6.9 Magnitude	11
5.0–5.9 Magnitude	190
By death toll
Death toll	104
Largest earthquake
Indonesia	Magnitude 7.7

• A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Papua, Indonesia on January 3, killing 5 people.^[5][2]

• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Northern Afghanistan on January 3.^[6]

• A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Papua, Indonesia on January 3.^[7]

• A magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck Greece, killing 1 person.^[2]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Papua, Indonesia on January 6.^[8]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Costa Rica on January 8.^[9] 98 people are dead or missing.^[4]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred in the Eastern Indian Ocean on January 13.^[10]

• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck near the Loyalty Islands on January 15.^[11]

• A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands on January 15.^[12]

• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck near the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on January 18.^[13]

• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck near the Loyalty Islands on January 19.^[14]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near the Loyalty Islands on January 19.^[15]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck near the Loyalty Islands on January 21.^[16]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck New Britain, Papua New Guinea on January 22.^[17]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Banda Sea on January 22.^[18]

• A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck Xinjiang, China on January 25.^[19]

February

February

By magnitude
7.0 Magnitude+	2
6.0–6.9 Magnitude	10
5.0–5.9 Magnitude	170
By death toll
Death toll	0
Largest earthquake
Indonesia	Magnitude 7.2

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Peru on February 2.^[20]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on February 9.^[21]

• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the Talaud Islands, Indonesia on February 11.^[22]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Talaud Islands, Indonesia on February 11.^[23]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Talaud Islands, Indonesia on February 12.^[24]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Talaud Islands, Indonesia on February 12.^[25]

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Talaud Islands, Indonesia on February 12.^[26]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Northern Peru on February 15.^[27]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on February 17.^[28]

• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck near the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on February 18.^[29]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Talaud Islands, Indonesia on February 22.^[30]

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the South Sandwich Islands on February 28.^[31]

March

March

By magnitude
7.0 Magnitude+	1
6.0–6.9 Magnitude	5
5.0–5.9 Magnitude	162
By death toll
Death toll	0
Largest earthquake
Tonga	Magnitude 7.6

• A magnitude 4.6 earthquake struck Victoria, Australia on March 6, causing minor damage.^[32]

• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake occurred in the Greenland Sea on March 6.^[33]

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off the coast of Panama on March 12.^[34]

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Talaud Islands on March 16.^[35]

• A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Tonga on March 19.^[36]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Papua, Indonesia on March 28.^[37]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck off the shore of Kodiac Island, Alaska on March 30.^[38]

April

April

By magnitude
7.0 Magnitude+	0
6.0–6.9 Magnitude	11
5.0–5.9 Magnitude	137
By death toll
Death toll	321
Largest earthquake
Russia	Magnitude 6.9

• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off the north coast of Papua New Guinea on April 1.^[39]

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake stuck near the Talaud Islands on April 4.^[40]

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Abruzzo, Italy on April 6, killing 297 people.^[41][3]

• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands on April 7.^[42]

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off the west coast of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador on April 15.^[43]

• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck near the South Sandwich Islands on April 16.^[44]

• A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Eastern Afghanistan on April 16, killing 22 people.^[45]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Iquique, Chile on April 17.^[46]

• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands on April 18.^[47]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Talaud Islands on April 19.^[48]

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands on April 21.^[49]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands on April 26.^[50]

• A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck Guerrero, Mexico on April 27, killing 2 people.^[51]

May

May

By magnitude
7.0 Magnitude+	1
6.0–6.9 Magnitude	5
5.0–5.9 Magnitude	132
By death toll
Death toll	7
Largest earthquake
Honduras	Magnitude 7.3

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Guatemala on May 3.^[52]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Ecuador on May 10.^[53]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck New Britain, Papua New Guinea on May 12.^[54]

• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands on May 16.^[55]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands on May 24.^[56]

• A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck off the coast of Honduras on May 23, killing 7 people and causing damage in Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize.^[57]

June

June

By magnitude
7.0 Magnitude+	0
6.0–6.9 Magnitude	8
5.0–5.9 Magnitude	132
By death toll
Death toll	1
Largest earthquake
Papua New Guinea	Magnitude 6.7

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Vanuatu on June 2.^[58]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Prince Edward Islands on June 4.^[59]

• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Hokkaido, Japan on June 5.^[60]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred in the North Atlantic Ocean on June 6.^[61]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake stuck Vanuatu on June 12.^[62]

• A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Eastern Kazakhstan on June 13, killing 1 person.^[2]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Talaud Islands on June 14.^[63]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck near Bouvet Island on June 16.^[64]

• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck New Ireland, Papua New Guinea on June 23.^[65]

July

July

By magnitude
7.0 Magnitude+	1
6.0–6.9 Magnitude	9
5.0–5.9 Magnitude	177
By death toll
Death toll	1
Largest earthquake
New Zealand	Magnitude 7.8

• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Crete, Greece on July 1.^[66]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Sinaloa, Mexico on July 3.^[67]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Panama on July 4.^[68]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands, Alaska on July 6.^[69]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the west coast of Greenland on July 7.^[70]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck southeast of Easter Island on July 8.^[71]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Southern Peru on July 12.^[72]

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off the east coast of Taiwan on July 13.^[73]

• A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Yunnan, China on July 9, killing 1 person.^[74]

• A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the South Island of New Zealand on July 15.^[75]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck New Ireland, Papua New Guinea on July 15.^[76]

August

August

By magnitude
7.0 Magnitude+	2
6.0–6.9 Magnitude	17
5.0–5.9 Magnitude	139
By death toll
Death toll	3
Largest earthquake
India	Magnitude 7.5

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on August 1.^[77]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Papua, Indonesia on August 2.^[78]

• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the Gulf of California on August 3.^[79]

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Gulf of California on August 3.^[80]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Ryukyu Islands, Japan on August 5.^[81]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the South Island of New Zealand on August 5.^[82]

• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Izu Islands, Japan on August 9.^[83]

• A magnitude 3.7 earthquake struck Sichuan, China on August 8, killing 2 people.^[2]

• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Santa Cruz Islands on August 10.^[84]

• A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck the Andaman Islands on August 10.^[85]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Shizuoka, Japan on August 10, killing 1 person.^[86]

• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Izu Islands, Japan on August 12.^[87]

• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on August 16.^[88]

• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the Ryukyu Islands, Japan on August 17.^[89]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Ryukyu Islands, Japan on August 17.^[90]

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck near the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on August 18.^[91]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Norwegian Sea on August 20.^[92]

• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the Banda Sea on August 28.^[93]

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Northern Qinghai, China on August 28.^[94]

• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Samoa on August 30.^[95]

September

September

By magnitude
8.0 Magnitude+	1
7.0–7.9 Magnitude	2
6.0–6.9 Magnitude	12
5.0–5.9	148
By death toll
Death toll	1,401
Largest earthquake
Samoa	Magnitude 8.1

• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Java, Indonesia on September 2, killing 81 people.^[96][97]

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on September 2.^[98]

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Kyushu, Japan on September 3.^[99]

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck offshore of Java, Indonesia on September 7.^[100]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Georgia on September 7.^[101]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands on September 10.^[102]

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck offshore Carabobo, Venezuela on September 12.^[103]

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck near Easter Island on September 17.^[104]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Bhutan on September 21, killing 11 people.^[105][97]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Auckland Islands on September 23.^[106]

• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck offshore Guadalajara, Mexico on September 24.^[107]

• A magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck Samoa on September 29, killing 192 people.^[108][97]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Samoa on September 29.^[109]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Samoa on September 29.^[109]

• A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on September 30, killing 1,117 people.^[110][97]

October

October

By magnitude
7.0 Magnitude+	3
6.0–6.9 Magnitude	31
5.0–5.9 Magnitude	234
By death toll
Death toll	8
Largest earthquake
Vanuatu	Magnitude 7.8

• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on October 1, killing 3 people.^[111][2]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Tonga on October 2.^[112]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near Fiji on October 2.^[113]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Taiwan on October 3.^[114]

• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Moro Gulf, Philippines on October 4.^[115]

• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Celebes Sea on October 7.^[116]

• A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Vanuatu on October 7.^[117]

• A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Vanuatu on October 7.^[118]

• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Vanuatu on October 7.^[119]

• A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Vanuatu on October 7.^[120]

• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Vanuatu on October 8.^[121]

• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Vanuatu on October 8.^[122]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Vanuatu on October 8.^[123]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Vanuatu on October 8.^[124]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Vanuatu on October 8.^[123]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands on October 10.^[125]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Vanuatu on October 11.^[126]

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake occurred in the Western Indian Ocean on October 12.^[127]

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Vanuatu on October 12.^[128]

• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands, Alaska on October 13.^[129]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Molucca Sea on October 13.^[130]

• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the Aleutian Islands, Alaska on October 13.^[131]

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Samoa on October 14.^[132]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Papua, Indonesia on October 15.^[133]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck offshore the Galapagos Islands on October 15.^[134]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Sunda Strait on October 16.^[135]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Samoa on October 19.^[136]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near Panama on October 22.^[137]

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Afghanistan on October 22, killing 5 people.^[2][138]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Vanuatu on October 23.^[139]

• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the Banda Sea on October 24.^[140]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Tonga on October 25.^[141]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near Livingston Island, Antarctica on October 27.^[142]

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Afghanistan on October 29.^[143]

• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Ryukyu Islands, Japan on October 30.^[144]

November

November

By magnitude
7.0 Magnitude+	1
6.0–6.9 Magnitude	13
5.0–5.9 Magnitude	133
By death toll
Death toll	2
Largest earthquake
Fiji	Magnitude 7.3

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Tonga on November 2.^[145]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near Auckland Island on November 5.^[146]

• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Sumbawa, Indonesia on November 8, killing 2 people.^[2][147]

• A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Fiji on November 9.^[148]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Nicobar Islands on November 10.^[149]

• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck offshore Tarapaca, Chile on November 13.^[150]

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Jujuy, Argentina on November 14.^[151]

• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Queen Charlotte Islands on November 17.^[152]

• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Fiji on November 22.^[153]

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands on November 22.^[154]

• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Tonga on November 24.^[155]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Sumba, Indonesia on November 28.^[156]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Kermadec Islands on November 28.^[157]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck near Mindanao, Philippines on November 28.^[158]

December

December

By magnitude
7.0 Magnitude+	0
6.0–6.9 Magnitude	12
5.0–5.9 Magnitude	142
By death toll
Death toll	6
Largest earthquakes
Vanuatu	Magnitude 6.4
South Atlantic Ocean	Magnitude 6.4
Taiwan	Magnitude 6.4

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the South Pacific Ocean on December 3.^[159]

• A magnitude 3.5 earthquake struck South Africa on December 6, killing 2 people.^[2]

• A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Malawi on December 8, killing 1 person.^[2]

• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Vanuatu on December 9.^[160]

• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the South Atlantic Ocean on December 9.^[161]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Simeulue, Indonesia on December 9.^[162]

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Sea of Okhotsk on December 10.^[163]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Solomon Islands on December 14.^[164]

• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Taiwan on December 19.^[165]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Malawi on December 19, killing 3 people.^[2]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on December 23.^[166]

• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Sea of Japan on December 24.^[167]

• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Banda Sea on December 26.^[168]

• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the South Pacific Ocean on December 31.^[169]

See also

• List of 21st century earthquakes

References

v t e ← Earthquakes in 2009 → January Papua (7.6, Jan 4) Costa Rica (6.2, Jan 8)† Xinjiang (5.0, Jan 25) February Talaud Islands (7.2, Feb 11) March Tonga (7.6, Mar 19) April L'Aquila (6.3, Apr 6)† 1st Afghanistan (5.5, Apr 16) Guerrero (6.0, Apr 27) May Honduras (7.3, May 23) June New Ireland (6.7, Jun 23) July Crete (6.4, Jul 1) Yunnan (5.7, Jul 9) Fiordland (7.8, Jul 15) August Gulf of California (6.9, Aug 3) Izu Islands (7.1, Aug 9) Shizuoka (6.4, Aug 10) Andaman Islands (7.5, Aug 11) 1st Sumatra (6.7, Aug 16) September West Java (7.0, Sep 2)† Georgia (6.0, Sep 8) Bhutan (6.1, Sep 21) Samoa (8.1, Sep 29)† 2nd Sumatra (7.6, Sep 30)†‡ October Vanuatu (7.8, Oct 7) 2nd Afghanistan (6.2, Oct 22) November Fiji (7.3, Nov 9) December Karonga (~6.0, December) Hualien (6.4, Dec 19) † indicates earthquake resulting at least 30 deaths ‡ indicates the deadliest earthquake of the year

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