Earthquakes in 1903
The USGS located 18 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more worldwide in 1903, 14 of them magnitude 6 or more, and 14 of magnitude 2.5 or more in the United States. The largest: M8.0 Tonga, Jan 4, 1903.
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 1903 were located. Select one for its page.
The largest
The 23 largest of 1903, by magnitude.
- 8.0Tonga · 400 km deepTonga
- 7.9Southern Greece · 80 km deepGreece
- 7.4Near the coast of Oaxaca, MexicoMexico
- 7.3South of Java, IndonesiaIndonesia
- 7.1Mindanao, PhilippinesPhilippines
- 7.1TongaTonga
- 7.1Western MongoliaMongolia
- 7.0VanuatuVanuatu
- 7.0153 km SE of Adak, AlaskaAlaska
- 6.9Kuskokwim River Basin, Southwestern AlaskaAlaska
- 6.8Near Islands, Aleutian Islands, AlaskaAlaska
- 6.6Colorado River Delta area, Baja California, MexicoMexico
- 6.2Near San Jose, CaliforniaCalifornia
- 6.1Near San Jose, CaliforniaCalifornia
- 4.9Near Kirkland, WashingtonWashington
- 4.7New Madrid, Missouri regionMissouri
- 4.6New Madrid, Missouri regionMissouri
- 4.5Near Willows, CaliforniaCalifornia
- 4.4Near Carbondale, IllinoisIllinois
- 4.3New Madrid, Missouri regionMissouri
- 4.1Near Savannah, GeorgiaGeorgia
- 3.5Near Ogdensburg, New YorkNew York
- 3.3Near Georgetown, MassachusettsMassachusetts
Month by month
Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.
| Month | Quakes | Largest | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1903 | 5 | 8.0 | Tonga |
| February 1903 | 4 | 7.3 | South of Java, Indonesia |
| March 1903 | 1 | 4.9 | Near Kirkland, Washington |
| April 1903 | 2 | 7.1 | Tonga |
| May 1903 | 1 | 7.0 | Vanuatu |
| June 1903 | 2 | 6.9 | Kuskokwim River Basin, Southwestern Alaska |
| July 1903 | 1 | 4.5 | Near Willows, California |
| August 1903 | 2 | 7.9 | Southern Greece |
| September 1903 | 0 | ||
| October 1903 | 0 | ||
| November 1903 | 3 | 4.7 | New Madrid, Missouri region |
| December 1903 | 2 | 7.1 | Mindanao, Philippines |
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.