This is a list of earthquakes in 1956. 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. Again a fairly active year. 11 magnitude 7.0+ earthquakes were recorded with the largest of those striking Greece in the summer. The event in Greece measured 7.7 and was one of the largest ever to affect the country. In all earthquakes in 1956 resulted in 910 fatalities. Iran had the deadliest event of the year with 347 deaths in October. Spain, Burma, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Greece and India also suffered from deadly events.

Overall

By death toll

Rank Death toll Magnitude Location MMI Depth (km) Date 1 , Hormozgan Province 2 , Gujarat 3 , Mount Lebanon Governorate 4 , Baghlan Province 5 , Dodecanese Islands 6 , Thessaly 7 , Sagaing Region 8 , Southern Spain Note: At least 10 casualties

By magnitude

Rank Magnitude Death toll Location MMI Depth (km) Date 1 , Dodecanese Islands 2 3 , Chiba Prefecture, Honshu = 4 , Izu Islands = 4 , Baghlan Province = 4 , Kuril Islands, Russia 5 , Banda Sea 6 off the west coast of Nicaragua = 7 , south of = 7 , Manabí Province = 7 , south of Note: At least 7.0 magnitude

Notable events

January

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Banda Sea 6.5 170.0 , Guerrero 6.2 20.0 At least 101 people were injured and major property damage was caused. 101+ , off the coast of Arica and Parinacota Region 6.6 51.5 At least 1 person was killed and some damage was caused. 1+ , south of 6.5 610.0 , south of 7.0 35.0 , Taranaki, North Island 6.2 180.0 , Budapest 5.8 15.0 The 1956 Budapest earthquake struck the eastern suburbs of the city. 2 people were killed and major damage was caused. 2 , Andreanof Islands, Alaska 6.0 46.5 , Manabí Province 7.0 20.0 Some damage was caused. , Antofagasta Region 6.2 35.0 , Chin State 6.1 60.0 , off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia 6.6 75.1 , East New Britain Province, Papua and New Guinea 6.0 50.0 , north of North Island 6.4 15.0 , New Ireland (island), Papua and New Guinea 6.9 400.0

February

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Northern Mariana Islands 6.7 370.1 Italy, off the west coast of Calabria 6.2 225.0 , Katavi Region, Tanganyika 6.2 0.0 Unknown depth. , Baja California 6.8 6.0 , Baja California 6.2 6.0 Aftershock. , off the east coast of Honshu 6.1 38.5 , off the northwest coast of Luzon 6.4 20.7 , off the northwest coast of Luzon 6.1 15.0 Aftershock. , off the northwest coast of Luzon 6.1 15.0 Aftershock. , Baja California 6.4 6.0 rowspan="2"| Southeast of previous weeks events. Doublet earthquake. , Baja California 6.3 15.0 , Izu Islands 7.3 484.1 , south of Haida Gwaii 6.5 15.0 , Eskişehir Province 6.2 15.0 4 people were killed and some damage was caused. 4 , Sagaing Province 6.2 52.7

March

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Waikato, North Island 5.3 0.0 Some structural damage was caused. Unknown depth. 6.5 35.0 , southern Xinjiang Province 6.1 15.0 , off the north coast of Hokkaido 6.3 20.0 , off the south coast 6.2 25.0 , Mount Lebanon Governorate 5.3 15.0 rowspan="2"| 148 people were killed and major damage was caused by the 1956 Chim earthquake. Doublet earthquake with 2 events eleven minutes apart. 148 , Beqaa Governorate 5.5 15.0 , West New Britain Province, Papua and New Guinea 6.1 50.3 , Morona-Santiago Province 6.5 86.3

April

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , northwest of Nias 6.3 29.9 , Singida Region, Tanganyika 6.5 0.0 Unknown depth. , Badakhshan Province 6.6 214.2 , Kermadec Islands 6.9 346.9 , southern Sumatra 6.6 129.8 , Andreanof Islands, Alaska 6.1 45.0 , Province of Granada 5.0 0.0 The 1956 Atarfe-Albolote earthquake killed 7 people and caused major damage. 7 , East New Britain Province, Papua and New Guinea 6.0 35.0 , off the southeast coast of Hokkaido 6.2 35.0

May

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , off the west coast of southern Sumatra 6.6 66.0 , Punjab, Pakistan 6.1 35.0 , south of Bougainville Island, Papua and New Guinea 6.2 35.0 6.3 45.0 , New Ireland (island), Papua and New Guinea 6.2 506.0 7.6 419.1 6.5 615.0 Aftershock.

June

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Coquimbo Region 6.6 23.5 , Baghlan Province 7.3 25.0 100 people were killed. 100 , off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia 6.5 20.0 , southwest of Bougainville Island, Papua and New Guinea 6.0 15.0 , off the east coast of 6.2 15.0

July

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Badakhshan Province 6.1 215.7 , Solomon Islands 6.0 50.0 , Dodecanese Islands 7.7 20.0 The 1956 Amorgos earthquake which was one of the strongest in Greek history caused 53 deaths and major damage. A tsunami resulted in a further 3 deaths. 56 , Dodecanese Islands 6.7 15.0 Aftershock. , Nord-Ouest (department) 6.2 55.0 , Magway Region 6.2 90.0 , Sagaing Region 6.8 34.3 38 people were killed and some damage was caused in the 1956 Sagaing earthquake. 38 , Banda Sea 6.8 450.8 , Banda Sea 7.2 136.8 , off the west coast of Luzon 6.1 35.0 , Gujarat 6.0 15.0 The 1956 Anjar earthquake left 156 people dead and major damage. 156 , Tarapaca Region 6.1 96.8 , north of Crete 6.1 15.0

August

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , off the east coast of New Britain, Papua and New Guinea 6.2 35.0 6.5 288.2 , south of Honshu 6.4 20.0 , southern Sumatra 6.4 297.3 , Gulf of Tomini 6.3 170.0 , Shanxi Province 5.0 0.0 A few homes were destroyed. Unknown depth. , La Paz Department (Bolivia) 6.3 35.0

September

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured 6.1 15.0 , Vanuatu 6.0 0.0 Unknown depth. , Tarapaca Region 6.8 94.8 , Paktia Province 6.5 10.0 , Lake Malawi, Nyasaland 6.0 0.0 Unknown depth. , Sagaing Region 6.1 114.9 , Chiba Prefecture, Honshu 7.5 66.1

October

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Tarapaca Region 6.5 97.3 6.0 15.0 , Uttar Pradesh 6.0 15.0 , Kuril Islands, Russia 7.3 100.4 , off the coast of central 6.1 35.0 , off the southeast coast of Hokkaido 6.1 35.0 , Badakhshan Province 6.1 100.0 , Rat Islands, Alaska 6.5 25.0 , D'Entrecasteaux Islands, Papua and New Guinea 6.2 15.0 , north of Mindoro 6.7 90.4 , off the west coast of 7.1 35.0 1956 Nicaragua earthquake. , Carazo Department 6.2 35.0 Aftershock. , Vanuatu 6.3 10.0 , eastern Luzon 6.3 20.0 , Hormozgan Province 6.4 15.0 347 people were killed and major damage was reported. 347

November

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , eastern Thessaly 5.5 15.0 At least 51 people were killed. 51+ , Veracruz 6.4 148.9 , off the west coast 6.0 70.0 , central Luzon 6.0 15.0 , Merida (state) 6.1 15.0 , off the east coast of Honshu 6.1 41.0 , Vanuatu 6.0 15.0

December

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Fox Islands (Alaska) 6.0 13.6 , Chiapas 6.0 89.4 , Andreanof Islands, Alaska 6.5 25.0 , Vanuatu 6.1 151.3 , off the west coast of 6.0 32.8 , Antofagasta Region 6.8 44.9 , south of Haida Gwaii 6.5 15.0 , Izu Islands 6.0 15.0 , Izu Islands 6.2 15.0 , Volcano Islands 6.5 90.0 , Santa Cruz Islands, Solomon Islands 6.0 0.0 Unknown depth. , south of 7.0 198.0 , Gisborne District, North Island 6.5 35.0 , Hebei Province 5.0 0.0 Some homes were destroyed. Unknown depth.

References