This is a list of earthquakes in 2020. Only earthquakes of magnitude 6 or above are included, unless they result in damage and/or casualties, or are notable for other reasons. All dates are listed according to UTC time. Maximum intensities are indicated on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale and are sourced from United States Geological Survey (USGS) ShakeMap data.
For the second consecutive year, activity was well below average, with only nine major quakes, it was also the first year since 2016 with no magnitude 8.0+ earthquakes. With just over 200 deaths reported, it is the least deadly year in the 21st century for earthquakes, but almost all of them came from Turkey, struck by three deadly events. In the last days of the year, Croatia experienced one of its strongest earthquakes in its history, with casualties and structural damage.
Compared to other years +Number of earthquakes worldwide for 2010–2020 Magnitude 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 8.0–9.9 1 1 2 2 1 1 0 1 1 10 7.0–7.9 23 19 14 17 11 18 16 6 16 99 6.0–6.9 151 187 117 123 143 127 131 104 118 135112 5.0–5.9 2,220 2,486 1,546 1,460 1,580 1,413 1,550 1,447 1,671 1,4841,315 4.0–4.9 10,138 13,129 10,955 11,877 15,817 13,777 13,700 11,544 12,782 11,89712,216 Total 12,536 15,822 12,635 13,480 17,552 15,336 15,397 13,102 14,589 13,53013,654
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.
By death toll Rank Death toll Magnitude Location MMI Depth (km) Date Event11197.0, North Aegean offshore 21.02020 Aegean Sea earthquake2446.7 Turkey, Elazığ 2020 Elazığ earthquake3107.4, Oaxaca 20.02020 Oaxaca earthquake3105.8, West Azarbaijan 10.02020 Iran–Turkey earthquakes Listed are earthquakes with at least 10 dead.
By magnitude Rank Magnitude Death toll Location MMI Depth (km) Date Event 1 7.8 0 United States, Alaska offshore 28.0 July 2020 Alaska Peninsula earthquake 2 7.7 0 offshore 14.9 2020 Caribbean earthquake 3 7.6 0, Alaska offshore 28.4 October 2020 Alaska Peninsula earthquake 4 7.5 1 Russia, Kuril Islands offshore 56.7 –57.410, Oaxaca 20.02020 Oaxaca earthquake 5 7.4 0 New Zealand, Kermadec Islands offshore 10.0 –77.0119, North Aegean offshore 21.02020 Aegean Sea earthquake 7 7.0 1 Papua New Guinea, Oro offshore 73.0 – 7 7.0 0 Russia, Kuril Islands offshore 144.0 – Listed are earthquakes with at least 7.0 magnitude.
By month
January
+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured 2, Khorasan-e Razavi, 81 km southwest of Taybad 5.5 10.0 VII At least 100 houses were damaged, some of them seriously. – – 5, Oaxaca, 3 km west of Reforma de Pineda 5.9 87.0 V Some homes suffered minor damage.--6, Guayanilla offshore, 14 km south of Indios5.86.0VI--7, Aceh offshore, 14 km south of Sinabang6.317.0VICracks in walls or broken windows were observed in some buildings in Sinabang.--7, Guayanilla offshore, 13 km south of María Antonia6.49.0VIII387, East New Britain, 130 km east northeast of Kimbe6.0117.0IV – – –8, Bushehr, 13 km southeast of Borajzan4.910.0VISome damage was caused and seven people were injured. This earthquake struck near the Bushehr nuclear plant, but did not damage it. –79, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, 341 km northeast of Tilichiki6.410.0VII – – –10, Guánica offshore, 4 km south of María Antonia5.29.0VI1 –11, , Guayanilla offshore, 5 km southeast of María Antonia5.95.0VII – –12, Calabarzon, 3 km south southwest of Talisay4.710.0 –It was the first of the three largest earthquakes in a swarm related to the eruption of the Taal Volcano. Several houses were damaged in Lemery. – –15, Mendoza, 17 km north northwest of San Martín4.540.0IIILight damage was observed in the city of Mendoza. One person fainted from fear during a live TV show. – 117, Oaxaca, 6 km northeast of Ixtepec5.217.5VIVarious adobe houses and a church were damaged. The earthquake also caused some landslides and falling rocks blocked roads. – –18, Papua, 146 km west of Abepura6.044.0VI---19, Xinjiang, 104 km east northeast of Kashgar6.05.6VIII 1 219, North Sulawesi offshore, 108 km southeast of Gorontalo6.1121.7IV – – –19, Kansas, 2 km west of South Hutchinson4.55.0VIThere were reports of bricks breaking off chimneys and sidewalks cracking in the Hutchinson area. – –20 offshore, 25 km south southeast of Bristol Island6.193.0V – – –22, Manisa, 15 km east southeast of Kırkağaç5.65.6VIIA few structures collapsed, with people running outside for safety. Four people were injured. The earthquake was felt in Istanbul and İzmir. – 423, Alaska offshore, Aleutian Islands, 84 km west of Adak6.210.0VI – – –24, Elazığ, 13 km north of Doğanyol 6.7 10.0 IX 41 1,63126, Alaska offshore, Aleutian Islands, 240 km west southwest of Adak6.117.0VIt was an aftershock of the 6.2 quake two days prior. – –27, Makira-Ulawa offshore, 102 km west northwest of Kirakira6.321.0VI – – –28 offshore, 123 km north northwest of Lucea, Jamaica7.714.9VI – –28, Grand Cayman offshore, 55 km southeast of East End6.110.0V It was an aftershock of the 7.7 earthquake a few hours earlier. – –29, Makira-Ulawa offshore, 70 km west of Kirakira6.085.0V It was an aftershock of the 6.3 quake two days prior. – –
February
DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured 5, East Java offshore, 113 km north northeast of Bangkalan6.2592.4 I – – – 6, North Sulawesi offshore, 13 km south of Miangas6.019.0IV – – –8, Uttarakhand, 29 km northeast of Bageshwar4.718.8IVSome houses were damaged, and one collapsed in Bageshwar district. Two people were injured by the rubble. –2 8 offshore, 113 km south southeast of Bristol Island6.016.0III – – –9, East New Britain offshore, 127 km south of Kokopo6.134.0VI – – –13, Kuril Islands offshore, 95 km east northeast of Kurilsk7.0143.0VI – – –16, Ardabil, 12 km south southeast of Ardabil4.310.0 – Some damage was caused, and 27 people were injured. – 2723, West Azerbaijan, 30 km southeast of Salmas5.810.0VII1014123, West Azerbaijan, 37 km east southeast of Özalp, Turkey6.010.0VII – –24, Calabria, 2 km east of San Vincenzo La Costa4.810.0VIVarious buildings were damaged and one collapsed in Cosenza province. One person was injured during a religious office by falling bricks. – 125, Malatya, 21 km northeast of Doganyol5.010.0IVMinor damage was caused, and six people suffered injuries. –626, Maluku offshore, 273 km southwest of Tual6.054.0V – – –
March
DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured 1, Eastern Visayas offshore, 6 km north northwest of Guindapunan5.410.0VI Many buildings were damaged in Leyte. Five schools were damaged in the town of Capoocan, causing class suspensions. – – 4, Sagaing, 116 km west of Bhamo4.810.0 – Religious buildings were damaged. – –6, Sichuan3.913.0 – Minor damage was observed in the epicentral area. – –6Southwest Indian Ridge6.010.0 – – – –7, Baja California offshore, 71 km southeast of Estación Coahuila5.510.0VII Minor damage were observed, such as falling objects and rockfalls. – –7, Madeira offshore, 27 km south of Caniço5.310.0VMinor damage was reported in Funchal, like cracks in walls and fallen plaster. At least three roads were partially blocked by landslides. – –10, West Java, 11 km west of Cicurug5.010.0VIAround 90 houses were damaged in Sukabumi, and two people were slightly injured. –212, Ishikawa, 26 km north northwest of Nanao5.310.0VII One person was injured after suffering a fall during the quake. – 114, Kermadec Islands offshore, 298 km northeast of Raoul Island6.410.0III – – –15, Hormozgan, 94 km northwest of Bandar Abbas5.410.0VIMinor damage was caused to many buildings and one partially collapsed in Hormozgan province. Two people were injured. –217, Niuatoputapu offshore, 171 km east of Hihifo6.010.0IV Samoa was shaken, although the epicentre was in Tonga. – –18, Torba offshore, 99 km northwest of Sola6.1176.0IV – – –18, Utah, 5 km north northeast of Magna5.711.9VII –Several18, Bali offshore, 249 km south of Nusa Dua6.220.7VI – – –20, Tibet, 85 km northeast of Lobujya, Nepal5.710.0VIIMore than 300 buildings were damaged, affecting 67 villages. At least 2,855 people were evacuated. – –20, Govi-Altai, 178 km southwest of Altai5.510.0VIIMinor damage was caused to many structures, including a government building. – –21, Epirus, 14 km north northeast of Kanallaki5.710.0VIISome old buildings were damaged and some also collapsed in Kanallaki. Three people were slightly injured. – 322, Zagreb, 5 km east of Gornja Bistra5.310.0VII 1 2622Central East Pacific Rise6.110.0 – – – –25, Kuril Islands offshore, 221 km south southeast of Severo-Kurilsk 7.557.8 V Following this earthquake, tsunami warnings were issued at first, but were later rescinded, with tsunami heights of 0.5 m observed in Severo-Kurilsk. One person died, trying to evacuate from the tsunami. 1 -26, Soccksargen offshore, 27 km southwest of Burias6.159.0VI Some minor damage was observed, like cracks in walls. – –28, Central Sulawesi, 73 km west southwest of Poso5.910.0VIIAt least three people were injured. 33 houses and several public facilities were damaged. Power outage was reported in some affected areas. –331, Idaho, 31 km north northwest of Stanley6.512.1VIII – –
April
+DateCountry and locationMwDepth (km)MMINotesCasualtiesDeadInjured1, Qinghai, 274 km northeast of Qamdo5.410.0VII Some houses were damaged in Serxu. – –5, North Maluku offshore, 124 km west-northwest of Ternate6.042.0V – – –12 offshore, 96 km north of Amsterdam Island6.110.0IV – – –14, Kermadec Islands offshore, 194 km southeast of Raoul Island6.031.0 – – – –15, Bolívar, 13 km north northeast of Pinillos5.753.0VSome old houses sustained damage in Cesar Department. In Magdalena, three houses collapsed and one child was slightly injured. – 116, Emilia-Romagna, 2 km southeast of Marsaglia4.510.0VSome damage was caused in Cerignale. Various buildings sustained cracks in walls, and a church was slightly damaged.--16, Bay Islands offshore, 59 km north northeast of Savannah Bight6.112.0V – – –17, Sagaing, 39 km east southeast of Falam5.910.0VIIVarious buildings were damaged, including several schools, a pagoda, and a fire station.--17, Sermersooq, 27 km north of Tasiilaq4.610.0 – Some buildings suffered minor damage. – –18, Bonin Islands offshore, 209 km west of Chichijima6.6453.0 IV – – –19, Iwate offshore, 31 km southeast of Ōfunato6.338.0 VI – – –24, Khatlon, 7 km southwest of Orzu4.810.0 –Extensive damage was caused in Orzu. This was the strongest of an earthquake swarm. – –25, Bougainville offshore, 140 km south of Panguna6.119.0IV – – –30, North Sumatra, 40 km east southeast of Padangsidempuan5.017.1VSome buildings, including houses, mosques and schools, were damaged in South Tapanuli. – –
May