This list of 20th-century earthquakes is a list of earthquakes of magnitude 6 and above that occurred in the 20th century. Some smaller events which nevertheless had a significant impact are also included. After 1900 most earthquakes have some degree of instrumental records and this means that the locations and magnitudes are more reliable than for earlier events.
Unless otherwise noted, times are local time and magnitudes use the moment magnitude scale ().
List of deadliest earthquakes Rank Event Fatalities Magnitude Location Date1 1920 Haiyuan earthquake258,707–273,4077.9 China 2 1976 Tangshan earthquake242,4697.6 China 3 1908 Messina earthquake120,0007.1 Italy 4 Great Kantō earthquake105,3857.9–8.2 Japan 5 1970 Ancash earthquake66,794–70,0007.9 Peru 6 1927 Gulang earthquake40,9127.7 China 7 1990 Manjil–Rudbar earthquake35,000–45,0007.4 Iran 8 1939 Erzincan earthquake32,700–32,9687.8 Turkey 9 1935 Quetta earthquake30,000–60,0007.7 British Raj (now Pakistan) 10 1915 Avezzano earthquake29,978–32,6106.7 Italy 11 1939 Chillán earthquake~28,0008.3 Chile 12 1988 Armenian earthquake25,000–50,0006.8 Armenia 13 1976 Guatemala earthquake23,0007.5 Guatemala 14 1905 Kangra earthquake>20,0007.8 India 15 1999 İzmit earthquake17,127–18,3737.6 Turkey 16 1968 Dasht-e Bayaz and Ferdows earthquakes15,9007.1 Iran 17 1978 Tabas earthquake15,000–25,0007.4 Iran 18 1962 Buin Zahra earthquake12,2257.1 Iran 19 1960 Agadir earthquake12,000–15,0005.8 Morocco 1907 Qaratog earthquake12,000–15,0007.4 Tajikistan 21 1934 Nepal–India earthquake10,700–12,0008.0 Nepal–India 22 1970 Tonghai earthquake10,000–15,6217.1 China 1931 Fuyun earthquake10,0008.0 China 1944 San Juan earthquake10,0007.0 Argentina 23 1902 Kashgar earthquake5,650–10,0007.7 Xinjiang, China; Kyrgyzstan 24 1985 Mexico City earthquake5,000–45,0008.0 Mexico 25 1972 Nicaragua earthquake4,000–11,0006.3 Nicaragua Note: 10,000 or more fatalities
List of largest earthquakes by magnitude Rank Event Magnitude Fatalities Location Date1 1960 Valdivia earthquake9.4–9.61,000–6,000 Chile 2 1964 Alaska earthquake9.2–9.3139 United States 3 1952 Severo-Kurilsk earthquake8.8–9.02,336–14,000 Soviet Union (now Russia) 1906 Ecuador–Colombia earthquake8.8~1,000 Ecuador – Colombia 5 1965 Rat Islands earthquake8.7 United States 1950 Assam–Tibet earthquake8.74,800 India – China 7 1957 Andreanof Islands earthquake8.62 United States 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake8.6165–173 United States 9 1938 Banda Sea earthquake8.5–8.6 Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) 1963 Kuril Islands earthquake8.5 Soviet Union (now Russia) Note: Magnitude 8.5 or greater
List of deadliest earthquakes by year Year Event Fatalities Total fatalities Magnitude Location Date 1901 1901 Yunnan earthquake1011256.5 China 1902 1902 Xinjiang earthquake10,00017,0757.7 China 1903 1903 Manzikert earthquake3,5603,9136.3 Ottoman Empire (now Turkey) 1904 1904 Sichuan earthquake1,3001,3006.8 China 1905 1905 Kangra earthquake20,00022,8027.8 British Raj (now India) 1906 1906 Valparaíso earthquake4,0007,5078.2 Chile 1907 1907 Qaratog earthquake12,00013,5687.3 Russian Empire (now Tajikistan) 1908 1908 Messina earthquake120,000120,0007.1 Kingdom of Italy (now Italy) 1909 1909 Borujerd earthquake8,0008,6897.3 Iran 1910 1910 Costa Rica earthquakes7007146.4 Costa Rica 1911 1911 Kerman earthquake7001,3266.5 Iran 1912 1912 Mürefte earthquake3,0003,1537.1 Ottoman Empire (now Turkey) 1913 1913 Eshan earthquake9421,4456.7 China 1914 1914 Burdur earthquake4,0004,3807.0 Ottoman Empire (now Turkey) 1915 1915 Avezzano earthquake29,97830,1556.7 Italy 1916 1916–1917 Nantou earthquakes1801817.2 Japan (now Taiwan) 1917 1917 Guatemala earthquakes2,6506,2216.0 Guatemala 1918 1918 Shantou earthquake2,0002,2217.3 China 1919 1919 Ayvalık earthquake3,0003,1007.0 Ottoman Empire (now Turkey) 1920 1920 Haiyuan earthquake273,407273,4077.9 China 1921 1921 Massawa earthquake51515.9 Italian Eritrea (now Eritrea) 1922 1922 Vallenar earthquake7007108.5 Chile 1923 1923 Great Kantō earthquake105,385105,3857.9 Japan 1924 1924 Java earthquake7271,652na Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) 1925 1925 Dali earthquake5,0006,1937.0 China 1926 1926 Kars earthquake3609765.7 Turkey 1927 1927 Gulang earthquake40,91244,4527.7 China 1928 1928 Talca earthquake2798077.7 Chile 1929 1929 Kopet Dag earthquake3,8003,9727.2 Turkmen SSR (now Turkmenistan) 1930 1930 Irpinia earthquake1,4304,2546.4 Italy 1931 1931 Fuyun earthquake10,00010,0008.0 China 1932 1932 Mazandaran earthquake1,0702,2065.4 Iran 1933 1933 Diexi earthquake9,30012,6567.3 China 1934 1934 Nepal–India earthquake12,00012,0078.0 Nepal–India 1935 1935 Quetta earthquake60,00067,4897.7 British Raj (now Pakistan) 1936 1936 Lingshan earthquake1,0012,1286.8 China 1937 1937 Heze earthquakes3904976.9 China 1938 1938 Kirsehir earthquake2242966.6 Turkey 1939 1939 Erzincan earthquake32,70062,8607.8 Turkey 1940 1940 Vrancea earthquake1,0001,4487.8 Romania 1941 1941 Jabal Razih earthquake1,2002,9556.2 Saudi Arabia 1942 1942 Niksar–Erbaa earthquake1,0001,4897.0 Turkey 1943 1943 Tosya–Ladik earthquake4,0206,1877.5 Turkey 1944 1944 San Juan earthquake8,00011,6377.0 Argentina 1945 1945 Balochistan earthquake4,0006,3378.1 India (now Pakistan) 1946 1946 Dominican Republic earthquake1,7901,7907.8 Dominican Republic 1947 1947 Dustabad earthquake5007456.9 Iran 1948 1948 Ashgabat earthquake110,000116,1357.3 Turkmen SSR (now Turkmenistan) 1949 1949 Khait earthquake12,00018,4847.5 Tajik SSR (now Tajikistan) 1950 1950 Assam–Tibet earthquake4,8004,8008.7 India–China 1951 1951 El Salvador earthquake1,1002,2366.5 El Salvador 1952 1952 Severo-Kurilsk earthquake4,0004,2249.0 Russian SFSR (now Russia) 1953 1953 Yenice–Gönen earthquake1,0702,6217.3 Turkey 1954 1954 Chlef earthquake1,2431,2956.7 French Algeria (now Algeria) 1955 1955 Lanao earthquake4654657.4 Philippines 1956 1956 Hormozgan earthquake3479106.4 Iran 1957 1957 Farsinaj earthquake1,2003,0436.5 Iran 1958 1958 Lorestan earthquake1323686.7 Iran 1959 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake28947.3 United States 1960 1960 Agadir earthquake13,10015,9565.8 Morocco 1961 1961 Fars earthquake601286.4 Iran 1962 1962 Buin Zahra earthquake12,22512,3327.0 Iran 1963 1963 Skopje earthquake1,1001,1006.1 Yugoslavia (now North Macedonia) 1964 1964 Alaska earthquake1393899.2 United States 1965 1965 Valparaíso earthquake4008007.6 Chile 1966 1966 Xingtai earthquakes8,0648,0646.8 China 1967 1967 Caracas earthquake3009616.6 Venezuela 1968 1968 Dasht-e Bayaz and Ferdows earthquakes10,48812,0817.1 Iran 1969 1969 Yangjiang earthquake3,0004,0245.7 China 1970 1970 Ancash earthquake66,79478,3657.9 Peru 1971 1971 Bingöl earthquake1,0001,2906.9 Turkey 1972 1972 Qir earthquake30,00040,1246.6 Iran 1973 1973 Luhuo earthquake2,1992,8997.4 China 1974 1974 Zhaotong earthquake20,00025,4426.8 China 1975 1975 Lice earthquake2,3114,3796.7 Turkey 1976 1976 Tangshan earthquake242,469242,4697.6 China 1977 1977 Vrancea earthquake3,0023,0027.5 Romania 1978 1978 Tabas earthquake20,00020,2207.5 Iran 1979 1979 Tumaco earthquake 6006008.2 Ecuador 1980 1980 El Asnam earthquake5,00010,3267.3 Algeria 1981 1981 Golbaf earthquake3,0003,0006.7 Iran 1982 1982 North Yemen earthquake2,8003,3886.3 Yemen Arab Republic (now Yemen) 1983 1983 Erzurum earthquake1,3422,6086.8 Turkey 1984 1984 Nagano earthquake29296.3 Japan 1985 1985 Mexico City earthquake45,00045,0008.0 Mexico 1986 1986 San Salvador earthquake1,0001,2405.7 El Salvador 1987 1987 Ecuador earthquakes1,0001,0907.1 Ecuador 1988 1988 Armenian earthquake25,00026,7596.8 Armenia 1989 1989 Gissar earthquake2746775.3 Tajik SSR (now Tajikistan) 1990 1990 Manjil–Rudbar earthquake50,00051,8217.4 Iran 1991 1991 Uttarkashi earthquake2,0003,4986.8 India 1992 1992 Flores earthquake2,5003,9397.8 Indonesia 1993 1993 Latur earthquake9,74810,0976.3 India 1994 1994 Páez River earthquake7951,7796.8 Colombia 1995 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake6,4338,9116.9 Japan 1996 1996 Lijiang earthquake3225826.6 China 1997 1997 Qayen earthquake1,5671,5677.3 Iran 1998 1998 Afghanistan earthquake4,5004,5006.6 Afghanistan 1999 1999 İzmit earthquake18,37318,5287.6 Turkey 2000 2000 Enggano earthquake141 1417.9 Indonesia
1901–1910 Date Time Event Magnitude Fatalities Location Comments Sources 07:456.4 Parkfield, United States (Abe, 1988)USGS 07:10 1901 Black Sea earthquake7.24 Black Sea (now Bulgaria) 07:476.9 Cheviot, New Zealand 02:23 1902 Guatemala earthquake7.5 2,000 Guatemala (USGS 1000+)USGS 05:04 1902 Turkestan earthquake7.710,000 Qing dynasty (now China)USGS 6.0 2 Warooka, AustraliaUSGS 05:04 1902 Andijan earthquake6.4 4,882 Uzbekistan (USGS 1000+)USGS 01:46 1903 Malazgirt earthquake6.7 3,500 Turkey 21:567.3 Fairbanks, United StatesUSGS 04:25 1904 Douliu earthquake6.1145 Taiwan 00:50 1905 Kangra earthquake7.8 20,000 India Kangra district HQ Dharamsala devastated... 09:408 Tsetserleg sum, Mongolia 02:468.3–8.5 Mongolia 01:43 1905 Calabria earthquake7.2557–5,000 Calabria (now Italy) 15:36 1906 Ecuador–Colombia earthquake8.81,000 Ecuador– ColombiaUSGS 06:43 1906 Meishan earthquake6.8 1,266 Taiwan 13:12 1906 San Francisco earthquake7.93,000 United StatesUSGS 00:10 1906 Aleutian Islands earthquake8.35 Aleutian Islands (now United States) 00:40 1906 Valparaíso earthquake8.23,882 ChileUSGS 07:187.6 Western Australia (now Australia) 05:19 1907 Sumatra earthquake8.2–8.42,188 Sumatra (now Indonesia) 03:30 1907 Kingston earthquake6.5800-1,000 JamaicaUSGS 04:23 1907 Qaratog earthquake7.4 12,000–15,000 Tajikistan– UzbekistanUSGS 21:28 1907 Calabria earthquake5.9 167 Calabria (now Italy) 04:20 1908 Messina earthquake7.182,000 ItalyUSGS 02:48 1909 Borujerd earthquake7.38,000 Iran 21:15 1909 Provence earthquake6.046 France Highest magnitude earthquake ever recorded in continental France. 250 wounded. 2,000 buildings damaged...
1911–1920 Date Time Event Magnitude Fatalities Location Comments Sources 23:25 1911 Kebin earthquake7.7452 Kazakhstan 18:41 1911 Sarez earthquake7.4 90 Tajikistan 11:02 UTC 1911 Michoacán earthquake7.645 MexicoUSGS 14:26 UTC 1911 Kikai Island earthquake8.1 12 JapanUSGS 22:006.5 Calaveras Fault (California, United States) 19:14 UTC 1911 Guerrero earthquake7.6 MexicoUSGS 02:24 UTC 1912 Maymyo earthquake7.7–8.0 1 Burma (now Myanmar) 03:29 1912 Mürefte earthquake7.3 216 Turkey 20:00 1914 Senboku earthquake7.0 94 Honshu (now Japan)USGS 00:07 1914 Burdur earthquake6.9 2,344 Turkey 06:52 1915 Avezzano earthquake7.5 32,610 Italy 06:52 1915 Pleasant Valley earthquake7.1 United States (Stover and Coffman, 1993) 23:11 1917 Bali earthquake6.6 1,500 Bali (now Indonesia) 05:49 UTC 1917 Samoa earthquake8.5 SamoaUSGS 10:30 1917 Guatemala earthquake5.6250 GuatemalaUSGS 06:07 1918 Shantou earthquake7.21,000 ChinaUSGS 6.0 Bundaberg–Rockhampton, Australia Largest known Queensland earthquake 12:18 UTC 1918 Celebes Sea earthquake8.352 Celebes Sea (now Philippines) 14:14 1918 San Fermín earthquake7.5 116 Puerto Rico (McCann, 1985)USGS 08:41 1918 Vancouver Island earthquake7 Vancouver Island (now Canada) (Gutenberg and Richter, 1954: Rogers, 1983)USGS 12:46 1920 Xalapa earthquake7.8648 Mexico 11:45 1920 Gori earthquake6.2 130 GeorgiaUSGS 07:55 1920 Garfagnana earthquake6.5 171 Italy 12:05 1920 Haiyuan earthquake8.6 273,407 ChinaUSGS 06:59 1920 Mendoza earthquake6.0400 Argentina
1921–1930