Earthquakes in 1902
The USGS located 18 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more worldwide in 1902, 12 of them magnitude 6 or more, and 12 of magnitude 2.5 or more in the United States. The largest: M7.8 Central Chiapas, Mexico, Sep 23, 1902.
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 1902 were located. Select one for its page.
The largest
The 21 largest of 1902, by magnitude.
- 7.8Central Chiapas, MexicoMexico
- 7.7About 50 km NNE of Kashgar, Xinjiang, China · 30 km deepChina
- 7.5Northern Mariana IslandsNorthern Mariana Islands
- 7.5Near Quetzaltenango, GuatemalaGuatemala
- 7.2Hindu Kush region, Afghanistan · 200 km deepAfghanistan
- 7.2New Britain region, Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea
- 7.1Baja California, MexicoMexico
- 7.0Off the east coast of Honshu, Japan · 35 km deepJapan
- 7.0Celebes Sea
- 7.0Fox Islands, Aleutian Islands, AlaskaAlaska
- 6.3Near Pine Valley, UtahUtah
- 6.3Near Quetzaltenango, GuatemalaGuatemala
- 5.8Near Los Alamos, CaliforniaCalifornia
- 5.8Near Los Alamos, CaliforniaCalifornia
- 5.4South of Elmira, CaliforniaCalifornia
- 4.8Near Pine Valley, UtahUtah
- 4.5Near Winchester, CaliforniaCalifornia
- 4.5Near St. Louis, MissouriMissouri
- 4.4Near Battle Creek, NebraskaNebraska
- 3.5Near Chattanooga, TennesseeGeorgia
- 3.5Near Chattanooga, TennesseeTennessee
Month by month
Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.
| Month | Quakes | Largest | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1902 | 5 | 7.2 | New Britain region, Papua New Guinea |
| February 1902 | 0 | ||
| March 1902 | 0 | ||
| April 1902 | 1 | 7.5 | Near Quetzaltenango, Guatemala |
| May 1902 | 3 | 7.0 | Off the east coast of Honshu, Japan |
| June 1902 | 1 | 4.5 | Near Winchester, California |
| July 1902 | 3 | 5.8 | Near Los Alamos, California |
| August 1902 | 1 | 7.7 | About 50 km NNE of Kashgar, Xinjiang, China |
| September 1902 | 2 | 7.8 | Central Chiapas, Mexico |
| October 1902 | 2 | 7.2 | Hindu Kush region, Afghanistan |
| November 1902 | 1 | 6.3 | Near Pine Valley, Utah |
| December 1902 | 2 | 7.1 | Baja California, Mexico |
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.