Megathrust earthquakes are large seismic events that take place along convergent plate boundaries, particularly at subduction zones. Examples of subduction zones include the Sumatra and Java trenches, Nankai Trough and Peru–Chile Trench which are frequent sources of these earthquakes.
List The inclusion criteria in this list is any notable subduction earthquake of at least magnitude 8.0.
Pre-11th century Date Time‡ Location Fatalities Effects/notes More information 60 BC Cabo de São Vicente, Portugal Unknown 8.5 Possible tsunami. Considered the oldest record of an earthquake in the Portuguese earthquake catalogs. 21 July 365 AD Crete, Greece Thousands 8.5 Devastation in Cyrene & Alexandria by a tsunami. Uplift of up to 9 metres in Crete. Maximum intensity XI (Extreme). 365 Crete earthquake 26 November 684 AD Nankai Trough, Japan Unknown 8.4 684 Hakuhō earthquake 13 July 869 AD Sanriku, Japan 1,000 9.0 Major tsunami. Several hundred villages destroyed. 869 Jōgan earthquake 26 August 887 AD Nankaido, Japan Unknown 8.6 Major tsunami recorded in Osaka Bay. Landslides reported. Tōkai earthquakes 11 December 1096 AD Nankaido, Japan Unknown 8.4 Destructive earthquake and tsunami, damaging many homes and shrines. 22 February 1099 AD Nankai Trough, Japan Unknown 8.4 Nankai earthquakes
11th–18th century Date Time‡ Location Fatalities Effects/notes More information 8 August 1303 "dawn" Crete, Greece 4,000 8.0 Maximum intensity IX (Violent). Tsunami damage in Alexandria, Egypt and along the Syrian coast. Many buildings damaged in Cairo due to the earthquake. 1303 Crete earthquake 3 August 1361 Tokai region, Japan Unknown 8.5 1361 Shōhei earthquake 31 August 1420 02:00 Caldera, Chile Unknown 9.4 1420 Caldera earthquake 20 September 1498 08:00 Nankaido, Japan 41,000 8.6 Major tsunami. 1498 Nankai earthquake 6 June 1505 Thousands 8.8 At least 30% of the Nepalese population perished(Ref. Population of Nepal-est. 2 Million). Extreme damage in Nepal and northern India. 1505 Lo Mustang earthquake 16 December 1575 14:30 Valdivia, Chile 1,500 9.0 Maximum intensity X (Extreme). 1575 Valdivia earthquake 22 January 1582 16:30 Arequipa, Peru "many" 8.4 Maximum intensity X (Extreme). Many buildings collapsed or were severely damaged. 17 March 1584 Lima, Peru Unknown 8.4 Maximum intensity VII (Very strong). Severe damage in Lima. 11 June 1585 Aleutian subduction zone, Alaska Unknown 9.2 Tsunami killed natives in the Hawaiian Islands and reported in Japan. 1585 Aleutian Islands earthquake 9 July 1586 Lima, Peru 22 8.5 Maximum intensity X (Extreme). 1,000 km by 120 km area of Peruvian coastline severely affected. A significant local tsunami was reported in Lima. The tsunami was confused with that of the Aleutian Islands event in tsunami catalogs. 1586 Lima-Callao earthquake 28 February 1600 20:00 Omate, Peru Unknown 8.1 24 November 1604 13:30 Arica, Peru 100 9.0 1604 Arica earthquake 20 October 1609 01:00 Unknown 8.6 2 December 1611 10:30 Sanriku Coast, Japan 5,000 8.1 1611 Sanriku earthquake 14 February 1619 16:30 Trujillo, Peru 350 8.6 1 August 1629 Nighttime Banda Sea, Dutch East Indies 5 8.8 Major tsunami. 1629 Banda Sea earthquake 13 May 1647 22:30 Santiago, Chile 1,000 8.5 1647 Santiago earthquake 15 March 1657 20:00 Concepción, Chile 40 8.3 Destructive tsunami. Concepción totally destroyed. 1657 Concepción earthquake 4 November 1677 20:00 Boso Peninsula, Japan 569 8.6 Maximum intensity JMA 4. Likely a tsunami earthquake based on the disparity between felt intensity and tsunami size. 1677 Bōsō earthquake 20 October 1687 10:30 Lima, Peru 5,000 8.7 8-meter tsunami in Peru. Tsunami reported in Japan. 1687 Peru earthquake 16 April 1690 Leeward Islands Unknown 8.0 Maximum intensity IX. 26 January 1700 21:00 Cascadia subduction zone, United States and Canada Unknown 9.2 Tsunami in Japan and the Pacific Northwest. 1700 Cascadia earthquake 31 December 1703 02:00 Boso Peninsula, Japan 10,000 8.2 Maximum intensity IX. 1703 Genroku earthquake 28 October 1707 14:00 5,000 8.7 Tsunami 1707 Hōei earthquake 4 May 1714 Night Main Himalayan Thrust, Bhutan Many 8.1 1714 Bhutan earthquake 8 July 1730 04:45 Valparaíso, Chile Unknown 9.3 16-meter-high tsunami. 1730 Valparaíso earthquake 17 October 1737 03:00 Kamchatka, Russian Empire Many 9.3 1737 Kamchatka earthquake 28 October 1746 22:30 Lima, Peru 5,941 8.8 1746 Lima-Callao earthquake 25 May 1751 01:00 Concepción, Chile 65 8.5 1751 Concepción earthquake 1 November 1755 09:40 Lisbon, Portugal 50,000 9.0 Tsunami. 1755 Lisbon earthquake 31 March 1761 12:01 Unknown 8.5 Tsunami. 1761 Lisbon earthquake2 April 176217:00 200+8.8Local tsunami.1762 Arakan earthquake 28 March 1787 11:30 Oaxaca, New Spain Unknown 8.6 Tsunami. 1787 New Spain earthquake July and August 1788 Alaska Peninsula, Alaska, Russia Unknown 8.0 Intensity VII. Major tsunami, 10 to 30 meters high. Many native Russians killed. The second earthquake triggered a 91-meter tsunami. Thought to be one earthquake rather than two. 22 August 1792 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia Unknown 8.2 10 February 1797 22:00 Sumatra, Indonesia Numerous 8.8 1797 Sumatra earthquake
19th century Date Time‡ Location Fatalities Effects/notes More information 11 April 1819 15:00 Copiapó, Chile Unknown 8.5 Copiapó totally destroyed by the earthquake. Caldera suffered massive damage. Minor tsunami. 1819 Copiapó earthquake 19 November 1822 Valparaíso Region, Chile 300 8.5 1822 Valparaíso earthquake 25 November 1833 22:00 Sumatra, Indonesia Unknown 9.2 Destructive tsunami. 1833 Sumatra earthquake 20 February 1835 11:30 Concepción, Chile 50 8.5 Large tsunami. 1835 Concepción earthquake 7 November 1837 Valdivia, Chile 12 9.5 1837 Valdivia earthquake 11 January 1839 06:00 , Lesser Antilles 4,000 8.0 1839 Martinique earthquake 17 May 1841 08:00 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia Unknown 9.0 6-meter tsunami. 1841 Kamchatka earthquake 8 February 1843 10:37 , Lesser Antilles 5,000 8.5 1843 Guadeloupe earthquake 7 April 1845 Oaxaca and Guerrero, Mexico Unknown 8.0 Felt strongly in Mexico City, resulting in significant damage. 25 November 1852 22:40 Banda Islands, Banda Sea, Dutch East Indies 60 8.8 Tsunami up to 8 meters tall. Felt IX in Banda Neira. 23 December 1854 09:00 Nankai Trough, Japan 5,000 8.4 Major damage caused by tsunami inundation. 1854 Tōkai earthquake1854 Nankai earthquake 24 December 1854 16:00 8.4 16 February 1861 Sumatra, Indonesia Thousands 8.5 1861 Sumatra earthquake 17 November 1865 Pacific Ocean, Tonga 0 8.0 Felt in ships as well. Two-meter tsunami caused limited damage. 13 August 1868 16:45 Arica, Peru 25,000 8.8 1868 Arica earthquake 1873 "Some" 8.0 Felt IX. Some damage to villages and people killed. Minor tsunami. 28 March 1875 Pacific Ocean, New Caledonia 25 8.2 Four-meter tsunami caused at least 25 deaths. 9 May 1877 21:16 Iquique, Peru 2,385 8.9 Fiji accounts for most of the deaths attributed to the tsunami. 1877 Iquique earthquake 7 September 1882 03:50 San Blas Islands, Colombia (now part of Panama) 250 8.3 Destructive tsunami 1882 Panama earthquake 6 September 1889 12:00 Celebes Sea, Indonesia 8.0 Damaging tsunami up to 4 meters in height. 15 June 1896 19:32 Sanriku, Japan 22,066 8.5 Weakly felt earthquake but a major tsunami up to 38 meters in height. 1896 Sanriku earthquake 10 September 1899 12:22 Yakutat Bay, Alaska 0 8.6 Large coastal uplift and tsunami. 1899 Yakutat Bay earthquakes
20th century Date Time‡ Location Fatalities Effects/notes More information 22 September 1902 01:46 Guam, United States 0 8.1 Felt IX. No tsunami. 31 January 1906 15:36 500–1,000 8.8 1906 Ecuador–Colombia earthquake 17 August 1906 00:40 Valparaíso, Chile 4,000 8.2 1906 Valparaíso earthquake 4 January 1907 12:20 Nias Island, Indonesia 2,188 8.2 Destructive tsunami, up to 15 meters high, killing most of the inhabitants. 1907 Sumatra earthquake 26 June 1917 05:49 Pacific Ocean, Samoa 2 8.0 12.2-meter tsunami. 1917 Samoa earthquake 15 August 1918 20:18 Mindanao, Philippines 52 8.3 1918 Celebes Sea earthquake 10 November 1922 23:53 Atacama Region, Chile ~500 8.5 1922 Vallenar earthquake 3 February 1923 04:01 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia 3 8.4 Felt XI. Tsunami. February 1923 Kamchatka earthquake 14 April 1923 02:31 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia 36 8.2 Felt X. Tsunami up to 30 meters. April 1923 Kamchatka earthquake 1 September 1923 11:58 Kantō Plain, Japan 148,000 7.9 Felt XI. A conflagration and firenado killed tens of thousands in the Kantō Plain. Tsunami up to 12 meters caused extensive damage. One of the deadliest earthquakes in human history. 1923 Great Kantō earthquake 14 April 1924 16:20 Mindanao, Philippines 0 8.0 3 June 1932 04:36 Jalisco, Mexico 400+ 8.1 Multiple mainshocks. 1932 Jalisco earthquakes 15 January 1934 08:43 Himalayas, Nepal and India 12,000 8.0 Major damage in both countries. Widespread liquefaction. 1934 Nepal-India earthquake 24 May 1940 11:35 Lima, Peru 300 8.2 Majority of the deaths were from Callao and Lima. 1940 Lima earthquake 13 May 1942 21:13 Manabí Province, Ecuador 200+ 8.3 1942 Ecuador earthquake 24 August 1942 17:40 Lima, Peru 30 8.1 1942 Peru earthquake 6 April 1943 12:07 Coquimbo Region, Chile 11 8.1 1943 Ovalle earthquake 7 December 1944 13:35 Tōkai region, Japan 3,538 8.1 1944 Tōnankai earthquake 28 November 1945 01:26 Balochistan, British India 4,000 8.0 Tsunami. 1945 Balochistan earthquake 1 April 1946 03:29 Aleutian Islands, Alaska 173 8.6 Majority of the deaths was the result of the tsunami hitting Hawaii. One tsunami fatality in California. 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake 21 December 1946 04:19 Nankaidō, Japan 1,362+ 8.3 1946 Nankai earthquake 4 March 1952 10:22 Hokkaido, Japan 33 8.1 1952 Tokachi earthquake 5 November 1952 03:58 Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia 2,500 9.0 5th largest in recorded history. 1952 Severo-Kurilsk earthquake 9 March 1957 04:22 Andreanof Islands, Alaska 0 8.6 1957 Andreanof Islands earthquake 21 March 1960 02:07 Miyako, Japan 0 8.0 21 May 1960 06:02 Concepción, Chile 125 8.1–8.3 Foreshock to the next earthquake on 22 May. 1960 Concepción earthquakes 22 May 1960 15:11 Valdivia, Chile 6,000 9.5 The largest earthquake in recorded history. 1960 Valdivia earthquake 13 October 1963 15:17 Kuril Islands, USSR 0 8.5 One of the largest earthquake in recorded history. 1963 Kuril Islands earthquake 27 March 1964 17:36 Prince William Sound, Alaska 131 9.2 The second largest earthquake in recorded history. 1964 Alaska earthquake 3 February 1965 19:01 Rat Islands, Alaska 0 8.7 One of the largest earthquake in recorded history. 1965 Rat Islands earthquake 17 October 1966 16:42 Huacho, Peru 100 8.1 1966 Peru earthquake 16 May 1968 09:49 Hokkaido, Japan 52 8.2 1968 Tokachi earthquake 12 August 1969 08:27 Kuril Islands, USSR 0 8.2 3 October 1974 09:21 Lima, Peru 78 8.1 1974 Lima earthquake 14 January 1976 16:47 Kermadec Islands, New Zealand 0 8.0 16 August 1976 00:11 Mindanao, Philippines 5,000–7,000 8.0 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake 12 December 1979 02:59 300–600 8.2 1979 Tumaco earthquake 3 March 1985 19:47 Valparaíso Region, Chile 177 8.0 1985 Algarrobo earthquake 19 September 1985 07:17 Michoacan, Mexico 9,500–45,000 8.0 Had a devastating effect on Mexico City, where almost all the fatalities occurred. 1985 Mexico City earthquake 30 July 1995 14:59 Antofagasta, Chile 2 8.0 1995 Antofagasta earthquake 9 October 1995 10:35 Jalisco, Mexico 49–58 8.0 1995 Colima-Jalisco earthquake 17 February 1996 14:59 Irian Jaya, Indonesia 166 8.1 1996 Biak earthquake
21st century