Earthquakes in 1901
The USGS located 18 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more worldwide in 1901, 17 of them magnitude 6 or more, and 6 of magnitude 2.5 or more in the United States. The largest: M7.9 Southeast of the Loyalty Islands, Aug 10, 1901.
From the USGS catalog. Magnitude 4.5 and up worldwide, and 2.5 and up in the United States. Times are local to each quake.
Map
Where the largest earthquakes of 1901 were located. Select one for its page.
The largest
The 19 largest of 1901, by magnitude.
- 7.9Southeast of the Loyalty Islands
- 7.5Near the east coast of Honshu, Japan · 35 km deepJapan
- 7.3Kuril Islands · 35 km deep
- 7.2Near the east coast of Honshu, Japan · 35 km deepJapan
- 7.2Ryukyu Islands, Japan · 35 km deepJapan
- 7.2Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands
- 7.2Near the coast of EcuadorEcuador
- 7.1Fox Islands, Aleutian Islands, AlaskaAlaska
- 7.1Gulf of CaliforniaMexico
- 7.1Near the coast of NicaraguaNicaragua
- 7.1British Columbia-Yukon border, CanadaCanada
- 7.0South of AlaskaAlaska
- 7.0Southeastern Luzon, PhilippinesPhilippines
- 7.0Molucca SeaIndonesia
- 7.0Near the east coast of Honshu, Japan · 35 km deepJapan
- 6.6Near Marysvale, UtahUtah
- 6.41901 Parkfield, California EarthquakeCalifornia
- 5.0Near Elko, NevadaNevada
- 4.2Near Portsmouth, OhioOhio
Month by month
Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.
| Month | Quakes | Largest | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1901 | 2 | 7.2 | Near the coast of Ecuador |
| February 1901 | 0 | ||
| March 1901 | 1 | 6.4 | 1901 Parkfield, California Earthquake |
| April 1901 | 1 | 7.3 | Kuril Islands |
| May 1901 | 2 | 7.2 | Solomon Islands |
| June 1901 | 2 | 7.2 | Ryukyu Islands, Japan |
| July 1901 | 1 | 5.0 | Near Elko, Nevada |
| August 1901 | 3 | 7.9 | Southeast of the Loyalty Islands |
| September 1901 | 0 | ||
| October 1901 | 1 | 7.1 | Near the coast of Nicaragua |
| November 1901 | 2 | 7.0 | Molucca Sea |
| December 1901 | 4 | 7.1 | Fox Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska |
By state
Where the year’s United States quakes of magnitude 2.5 and up were located. A state with none that year is not listed.
By country
Where the year’s quakes of magnitude 4.5 and up were located. Quakes at sea, away from any country, are not counted here.
What this means
The catalog is only as complete as the instruments of the time. Worldwide coverage of magnitude 5 and up dates from the 1960s, and of 4.5 from the 1990s; earlier years hold the large quakes and the ones near a station, so a low count in an early year means fewer instruments, not a quiet earth.
By year
Every year the USGS catalog covers.
- 2020s2020202120222023202420252026
- 2010s2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
- 2000s2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
- 1990s1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
- 1980s1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
- 1970s1970197119721973197419751976197719781979
- 1960s1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
- 1950s1950195119521953195419551956195719581959
- 1940s1940194119421943194419451946194719481949
- 1930s1930193119321933193419351936193719381939
- 1920s1920192119221923192419251926192719281929
- 1910s1910191119121913191419151916191719181919
- 1900s1900190119021903190419051906190719081909
Sources
Earthquakes, magnitudes, depths, shaking estimates and felt reports from the U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, read from its live feeds and its catalog back to 1900. Tsunami messages from NOAA’s tsunami warning centers.