List of earthquakes in 1948

Earthquakes in 1948

Approximate epicenters of the earthquakes in 1948 5.0−5.9 magnitude 6.0−6.9 magnitude 7.0−7.9 magnitude 8.0+ magnitude
Strongest magnitude	Panay, Philippines (Magnitude 7.8) January 24
Deadliest	north of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan (Magnitude 7.3) October 5 110,000 deaths
Total fatalities	116,184
Number by magnitude
9.0+	0
8.0−8.9	0
7.0−7.9	18
6.0−6.9	34
5.0−5.9	1
← 1947 1949 →

This is a list of earthquakes in 1948. Only magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquakes appear on the list. Lower magnitude events are included if they have caused death, injury or damage. All dates are listed according to UTC time. This would go down as one of the deadliest years of the 20th century. The main factor behind this was the earthquake which struck Turkmenistan that left 110,000 people dead in early October. This was the deadliest single earthquake since 1923 when a great quake struck Tokyo. Other events during the year caused many deaths including one in Japan in June which resulted in over 5,000 deaths. The number of magnitude 7.0+ events (18) was around normal with the biggest event being in the Philippines measuring 7.8. Clusters of large events were reported in Latin America and the southwest Pacific particularly Fiji in the early part of the year.

Overall

By death toll

Rank	Death toll	Magnitude	Location	Depth (km)	Date
7000100000000000000♠1	7005110000000000000♠110,000	7000730000000000000♠7.3	north of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan	7001150000000000000♠15.0	000000002016-10-05-0000October 5
7000200000000000000♠2	7003513100000000000♠5,131	7000680000000000000♠6.8	Fukui Prefecture, Honshu, Japan	7001100000000000000♠10.0	000000002016-06-28-0000June 28
7000300000000000000♠3	7002800000000000000♠800	7000710000000000000♠7.1	Sichuan Province, China	7001550000000000000♠55.0	000000002016-05-25-0000May 25
7000400000000000000♠4	7002110000000000000♠110	7000680000000000000♠6.8	Yunnan Province, China	5000000000000000000♠0.0	000000002016-06-27-0000June 27
7000500000000000000♠5	7001740000000000000♠74	7000780000000000000♠7.8	Panay, Philippines	7001150000000000000♠15.0	000000002016-01-24-0000January 24
7000600000000000000♠6	7001510000000000000♠51	7000650000000000000♠6.5	Ionian Islands (region), Greece	7001150000000000000♠15.0	000000002016-04-22-0000April 22

• Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

Rank	Magnitude	Death toll	Location	Depth (km)	Date
7000100000000000000♠1	7000780000000000000♠7.8	7001740000000000000♠74	Panay, Philippines	7001150000000000000♠15.0	000000002016-01-24-0000January 24
7000200000000000000♠2	7000750000000000000♠7.5	5000000000000000000♠0	Tonga	7001150000000000000♠15.0	000000002016-09-08-0000September 8
7000300000000000000♠3	7000730000000000000♠7.3	5000000000000000000♠0	Karpathos, Greece	7001150000000000000♠15.0	000000002016-02-09-0000February 9
7000300000000000000♠3	7000730000000000000♠7.3	7005110000000000000♠110,000	north of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan	7001150000000000000♠15.0	000000002016-10-05-0000October 5
7000400000000000000♠4	7000720000000000000♠7.2	5000000000000000000♠0	Gulf of Tomini, Indonesia	7002160000000000000♠160.0	000000002016-02-09-0000February 9
7000400000000000000♠4	7000720000000000000♠7.2	5000000000000000000♠0	northwest of Luzon, Philippines	7001350000000000000♠35.0	000000002016-03-03-0000March 3
7000400000000000000♠4	7000720000000000000♠7.2	5000000000000000000♠0	off the south coast of Honshu, Japan	7001150000000000000♠15.0	000000002016-04-17-0000April 17
7000500000000000000♠5	7000710000000000000♠7.1	5000000000000000000♠0	Fiji	7002595000000000000♠595.0	000000002016-01-27-0000January 27
7000500000000000000♠5	7000710000000000000♠7.1	5000000000000000000♠0	northeast of Buru, Indonesia	7001150000000000000♠15.0	000000002016-03-01-0000March 1
7000500000000000000♠5	7000710000000000000♠7.1	5000000000000000000♠0	south of Alaska Peninsula	7001250000000000000♠25.0	000000002016-05-14-0000May 14
7000500000000000000♠5	7000710000000000000♠7.1	7002800000000000000♠800	Sichuan Province, China	7001550000000000000♠55.0	000000002016-05-25-0000May 25
7000600000000000000♠6	7000700000000000000♠7.0	5000000000000000000♠0	Fiji	7002600000000000000♠600.0	000000002016-01-04-0000January 4
7000600000000000000♠6	7000700000000000000♠7.0	5000000000000000000♠0	Fiji	7002140000000000000♠140.0	000000002016-01-22-0000January 22
7000600000000000000♠6	7000700000000000000♠7.0	7000400000000000000♠4	Lima Region, Peru	7001330000000000000♠33.0	000000002016-05-28-0000May 28
7000600000000000000♠6	7000700000000000000♠7.0	5000000000000000000♠0	Salta Province, Argentina	7001300000000000000♠30.0	000000002016-08-25-0000August 25
7000600000000000000♠6	7000700000000000000♠7.0	5000000000000000000♠0	southwest of Dinagat Island, Philippines	7001350000000000000♠35.0	000000002016-09-02-0000September 2
7000600000000000000♠6	7000700000000000000♠7.0	5000000000000000000♠0	Limon Province, Costa Rica	7001800000000000000♠80.0	000000002016-11-19-0000November 19
7000600000000000000♠6	7000700000000000000♠7.0	5000000000000000000♠0	Antofagasta Region, Chile	7002100000000000000♠100.0	000000002016-12-26-0000December 26

• Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January

• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Fiji on January 4 at a depth of 600.0 km.^[1]
• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Guerrero, Mexico on January 6 at a depth of 30.0 km.^[2]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the central East Pacific Rise on January 14 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[3]
• A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Near Islands, Alaska on January 16 at a depth of 20.0 km.^[4]
• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck south of the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand on January 20 at a depth of 20.0 km.^[5]
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Fiji on January 22 at a depth of 140.0 km.^[6]
• A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Panay, Philippines on January 24 at a depth of 15.0 km. Seventy-four people in all were killed including two by a tsunami. Many homes were destroyed or damaged. Property damage costs reached $3.5 million (1948 rate).^[7][8][9]
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Fiji on January 27 at a depth of 595.0 km. This was the third magnitude 7.0+ quake to hit Fiji this month.^[10]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Molucca Sea, Indonesia on January 28 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[11]

February

• A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Karpathos, Greece on February 9 at a depth of 15.0 km. Some damage resulted from a tsunami striking the area.^[12][13]
• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the Gulf of Tomini, Indonesia on February 9 at a depth of 160.0 km. This came within two hours of the Greece event.^[14]
• A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck southern Xinjiang Province, China on February 13 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[15]

March

• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck northeast of Buru, Indonesia on March 1 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[16]
• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck northwest of Luzon, Philippines on March 3 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[17]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Molucca Sea, Indonesia on March 13 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[18]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck the Sea of Okhotsk, Russia on March 23 at a depth of 200.0 km.^[19]

April

• A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck off the south coast of Honshu, Japan on April 17 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[20]
• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Samana Province, Dominican Republic on April 21 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[21]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Ionian Islands (region), Greece on April 22 at a depth of 15.0 km. At least 51 people were killed in the area.^[22][23]

May

• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck southeast of Kyushu, Japan on May 9 at a depth of 25.0 km.^[24]
• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Tacna Region, Peru on May 11 at a depth of 58.7 km. One person died and some damage was caused.^[25][26]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan on May 12 at a depth of 20.0 km.^[27]
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck south of the Alaska Peninsula on May 14 at a depth of 25.0 km.^[28]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Canterbury, New Zealand on May 22 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[29]
• A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Sichuan Province, China on May 25 at a depth of 55.0 km. Eight-hundred people were killed, another 200 were hurt, and 600 homes collapsed.^[30][31]
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Lima Region, Peru on May 28 at a depth of 33.0 km. Four people died and some damage was caused.^[32][33]

June

• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck off the north coast of Sumatra, Indonesia on June 2 at an unknown depth.^[34]
• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Wakayama Prefecture, Honshu, Japan on June 15 at a depth of 24.4 km.^[35]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Yunnan Province, China on June 27 at an unknown depth. One-hundred and ten people were killed, a further 100 were hurt, and 600 homes were destroyed.^[36]
• A catastrophic magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Fukui Prefecture, Honshu, Japan on June 28 at a depth of 10.0 km. Property damage was estimated at $1 billion (1948 rate), with 5,131 deaths as well as 11,000 injuries. About 63,000 homes were wrecked and 18,543 were damaged.^[37][38]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Samoa on June 29 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[39]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Dagestan Republic, Russia on June 29 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[40]
• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off the west coast of Epirus (region), Greece on June 30 at a depth of 15.0 km. Six people were killed and some damage was caused.^[41][42]

July

• A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off the south coast of Honshu, Japan on July 7 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[43]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the northern East Pacific Rise on July 15 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[44]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the coast of southern Peru on July 20 at a depth of 30.0 km.^[45]

August

• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Veracruz, Mexico on August 11 at a depth of 100.0 km.^[46]
• A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck central Alaska on August 19 at a depth of 100.0 km.^[47]
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Salta Province, Argentina on August 25 at a depth of 30.0 km.^[48]

September

• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck southwest of Dinagat Island, Philippines on September 2 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[49]
• A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Tonga on September 8 at a depth of 15.0 km.^[50]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Kuril Islands, Russia on September 10 at a depth of 25.0 km.^[51]

October

• A devastating magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck just north of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on October 5 at a depth of 15.0 km. This quake was particularly destructive as it struck close to the capitol. In all 110,000 people died and many (at least 1,001) were hurt. The city was almost destroyed with property damage reaching $25 million (1948 rate).^[52][53]
• A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck Guizhou Province, China on October 8 at an unknown depth. Three people died and 75 were injured. Many homes were damaged or destroyed.^[54]

November

• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Limon Province, Costa Rica on November 19 at a depth of 80.0 km.^[55]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Vanuatu on November 21 at a depth of 180.0 km.^[56]
• A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Madang Province, Papua New Guinea on November 26 at a depth of 54.9 km.^[57]

December

• A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck southwest of Islas Marias, Mexico on December 4 at a depth of 15.0 km. Four people were killed and 21 more were hurt. Major damage was caused.^[58][59]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck just west of Sky Valley, California on December 4 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[60]
• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Volcano Islands, Japan on December 15 at a depth of 240.0 km.^[61]
• A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Commander Islands, Russia on December 23 at a depth of 20.0 km.^[62]
• A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Antofagasta Region, Chile on December 26 at a depth of 100.0 km.^[63]
• A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck northern California on December 29 at a depth of 35.0 km.^[64]

References