Earthquakes in 1912
The USGS located 110 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more worldwide in 1912, 59 of them magnitude 6 or more, and 68 of magnitude 2.5 or more in the United States. The largest: M7.9 32 km NW of Taunggyi, Myanmar, May 23, 1912.
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 1912 were located. Select one for its page.
The largest
The 25 largest of 1912, by magnitude.
- 7.932 km NW of Taunggyi, Myanmar · 15 km deepMyanmar
- 7.6245 km E of Melekeok Village, Palau · 15 km deepPalau
- 7.5210 km SSE of Sarangani, Philippines · 35 km deepPhilippines
- 7.331 km SE of Villa Atamisqui, Argentina · 620 km deepArgentina
- 7.379 km WSW of Sola, Vanuatu · 165 km deepVanuatu
- 7.225 km SE of Malkara, Turkey · 15 km deepTurkey
- 7.2Mount McKinley (Denali) area, Alaska · 3 km deepAlaska
- 7.14 km ENE of Karluk, Alaska · 35 km deepAlaska
- 7.032 km NNE of Yigo Village, Guam · 180 km deepGuam
- 7.0204 km NNW of Arawa, Papua New Guinea · 425 km deepPapua New Guinea
- 7.0Event 36 Novarupta-Mount Katmai area, Alaska PeninsulaAlaska
- 6.933 km WSW of Puerto Madero, Mexico · 50 km deepMexico
- 6.986 km NE of Isangel, Vanuatu · 255 km deepVanuatu
- 6.8281 km S of Colonia, Micronesia · 15 km deepMicronesia
- 6.867 km E of Selfoss, Iceland · 15 km deepIceland
- 6.813 km ESE of Huangala, Peru · 35 km deepPeru
- 6.8Event 37 Novarupta-Mount Katmai area, Alaska PeninsulaAlaska
- 6.8111 km SW of Adak, Alaska · 35 km deepAlaska
- 6.8Event 48 Novarupta-Mount Katmai area, Alaska Peninsula · 5 km deepAlaska
- 6.878 km NNW of Pārūn, Afghanistan · 205 km deepAfghanistan
- 6.72 km S of San Pedro el Alto, Mexico · 15 km deepMexico
- 6.730 km SW of Kumbağ, Turkey · 15 km deepTurkey
- 6.78 km SE of Attu Station, Alaska · 20 km deepAlaska
- 6.7105 km ENE of Miyako, Japan · 15 km deepJapan
- 6.711 km S of Los Amates, Guatemala · 15 km deepGuatemala
Month by month
Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.
| Month | Quakes | Largest | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1912 | 5 | 6.8 | 111 km SW of Adak, Alaska |
| February 1912 | 2 | 6.1 | 28 km N of Maputsoe, Lesotho |
| March 1912 | 2 | 6.9 | 86 km NE of Isangel, Vanuatu |
| April 1912 | 3 | 6.8 | 78 km NNW of Pārūn, Afghanistan |
| May 1912 | 7 | 7.9 | 32 km NW of Taunggyi, Myanmar |
| June 1912 | 55 | 7.0 | Event 36 Novarupta-Mount Katmai area, Alaska Peninsula |
| July 1912 | 6 | 7.2 | Mount McKinley (Denali) area, Alaska |
| August 1912 | 9 | 7.5 | 210 km SSE of Sarangani, Philippines |
| September 1912 | 6 | 7.6 | 245 km E of Melekeok Village, Palau |
| October 1912 | 5 | 7.0 | 32 km NNE of Yigo Village, Guam |
| November 1912 | 5 | 7.1 | 4 km ENE of Karluk, Alaska |
| December 1912 | 8 | 7.3 | 31 km SE of Villa Atamisqui, Argentina |
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.
- Japan4 in 1912
- Turkey4 in 1912
- Afghanistan3 in 1912
- Indonesia3 in 1912
- Russia3 in 1912
- Greece2 in 1912
- Mexico2 in 1912
- North Macedonia2 in 1912
- Philippines2 in 1912
- Vanuatu2 in 1912
- Argentina1 in 1912
- Armenia1 in 1912
- Canada1 in 1912
- Guatemala1 in 1912
- Iceland1 in 1912
- Lesotho1 in 1912
- Micronesia1 in 1912
- Myanmar1 in 1912
- Pakistan1 in 1912
- Palau1 in 1912
- Papua New Guinea1 in 1912
- Peru1 in 1912
- Romania1 in 1912
- Taiwan1 in 1912
- Uganda1 in 1912
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.